DONALSONVILLE, GA - Georgia Bureau of Investigation Agent Steve Turner says 4-year-old Brayton Cason died of blunt force trauma from a dog attack.
They are still investigating who the dog may belong to, but they are no longer investigating the death as a homicide.
Brayton Cason was first reported missing Wednesday night, and then his body was found hours later in the front yard of his home.
GBI Agents say his mother, Samantha Roland, reported four-year-old Brayton Cason missing from 7986 Acorn Drive. Police began the search around 8:30 Wednesday night.
Five law enforcement agencies went door to door and throughout the area hoping to find the child. State Patrol even used a helicopter.
"We talked to neighbors to find out what happened to the child or where the child was. We were hoping we could find the child," said Turner.
First they found his shirt and then his body. Authorities say Cason's body was found just before 11:30, in the front yard of his home.
Cason's body had several bruises on it, according to authorities.
"By that time it was already dark and the grass was high. It took a while for somebody to come walking upon him and actually see him in the yard," said Turner.
Brayton Cason's mother, Samantha Roland, reported him missing around 8:30 Wednesday night.
"His mother jumped in the shower while his aunt and uncle, it would have been his great aunt and uncle, was watching him and apparently he wandered outside. In a ten minute span the dog attacked him," said Cason's Aunt Tabitha Smith.
After about a three hour search, Brayton's bruised body was found in the front yard of his home.
"Our family would like to thank all of law enforcement, rescue teams, volunteers, local and non local. And all the prayers that were sent up," said Smith.
Smith says knowing her nephew's cause of death does not bring her family any closure. "I don't see where you can have resolution when it comes to a four-year old child. There is no closure for that."
Smith has a message for dog owners. "If you have a vicious dog please, please keep it away from other people and where it cannot get out and that way this tragic accident does not have to happen to another family like it has ours."
The GBI says there were no witnesses on the scene who would be able to determine what kind of dog killed the young boy.
Copyright 2012 WALB. All rights reserved.
(Mapquest)
The child was found in his front yard
Tabitha Smith
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 Worldnow and WALB, a Raycom Media Station. 
