A 1-year-old boy was hospitalized early Monday after suffering a bite inside a Van Nest home, according to police.
Officers first responded around 3 a.m. to a 911 call near the East 149th Street and Third Avenue subway station, the NYPD said. Investigators later determined the injury had occurred about an hour earlier, around 2 a.m., inside a residence on Fillmore Street.
As reported by News 12, officers found a bite wound on the boy’s back and traced the call to a home at 1733 Fillmore St. in Van Nest, where the incident is believed to have taken place. The child was taken to Lincoln Hospital in stable condition. Police have not said who or what bit him, and no suspect information has been released.
The NYPD says the investigation is ongoing and has not provided further details. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact local police.
City reporting rules and what to do after a bite
New York City requires all animal bites to be reported to the Department of Health, and the city’s dog-bite database logs thousands of reports citywide, according to NYC Open Data. Health officials say bites should be reported through 311 or directly to the NYC Health Department Animal Bite Unit so staff can assess rabies risk and arrange any needed follow-up.
Why toddlers are at special risk
Medical research shows that young children, especially toddlers, account for a large share of bite-related emergency visits and sometimes require hospitalization for serious wounds or infections, according to PubMed Central. Public health guidance recommends never leaving infants alone with animals and seeking prompt medical care for any bite to reduce the risk of infection or possible rabies exposure, per reviews published on PubMed Central.
