Boy, 11, Mauled to Death by Cane Corsos After Dad 'Ignored Warnings,' Owner Claims

An Edmonton homeowner on trial for criminal negligence causing death has told a court that she repeatedly warned her roommate not to leave his 11-year-old son alone with her two massive Cane Corsos before the animals launched a fatal attack.

Crystal Jean MacDonald, 46, took the stand in her own defence at the Edmonton Court of King's Bench, where she faces a criminal charge following the tragic death of Kache Grist in April 2024. MacDonald testified that she had instituted a strict 'no-visitors' policy due to the dogs' escalating aggression, a boundary she claims the boy's father deliberately ignored.

Kache Grist, 11, Mauled to Death by Cane Corsos

The horrific incident occurred on 1 April 2024, while Kache was visiting his father, Wesley Grist, from British Columbia, for his school spring break. According to court testimony reported by CBC News, Wesley was working on a vehicle in the garage while his son went inside the house to play a new video game.

Security footage from a neighbour's property captured the audio of Kache letting one of the dogs inside, followed shortly by muffled barking and the father's frantic screams.

Upon entering the kitchen, Wesley discovered his son lying on the floor surrounded by the two 100-pound dogs, named Khaos and Khairo. He said that when he grabbed Kache, the dogs pulled the boy again and tried to drag him away from his arms.

In an emotional testimony, the father described punching and kicking the animals to pull his son away, but Kache could not be saved. An autopsy later confirmed that the child died at the scene from a fatal dog bite injury to the neck. Both animals were subsequently euthanised by authorities.

Cane Corsos Owner Claims Boy's Dad 'Ignored Warnings'

Taking the witness stand, MacDonald stated that she was deeply upset when Wesley brought his son to the home unexpectedly, explaining that she had previously told him 'absolutely not' adding, 'I don't think it's a good idea,' when he requested the visit.

MacDonald testified through tears that she felt she had no choice but to let the boy stay once he arrived, though she insisted she repeatedly warned the father not to let the animal near Kache.

'Kache walked through the front door ... walked up to me and said, "Aunty!" and he gave me the biggest hug,' she recalled. 'I was happy to see Kache ... but I was upset that Wes did not respect my boundary about bringing him.'

She told the court she securely kennelled the dogs before leaving for work that morning and hugged Kache goodbye before departing, expecting the father to closely supervise the child.

Later that day, she received a phone call at work informing her that Kache had died. 'I was in shock, scared, sad,' she testified.

A Documented History of Animal Violence

During the trial, it was revealed that the two Cane Corsos had a notorious history of violence within the community. Less than two months before Kache was killed, the dogs brutally attacked a woman named Tina Kelepouris in the backyard.

Tina was left with three broken ribs, a punctured lung, and required numerous stitches after the attack. Court records also showed the dogs had previously killed a basement tenant's cat and another small dog in a separate incident.

While Wesley admitted he was aware of these prior incidents, he testified that he did not perceive the dogs as a threat to his son, describing one as a 'sweetheart' and the other as merely clumsy.

During cross-examination, Crown prosecutor Anders Quist challenged MacDonald's reliance on mere words to manage such dangerous animals. When asked if she relied entirely on verbal warnings to protect Kache's life, MacDonald replied, 'Yes,' adding that she never truly believed a fatal attack would happen. The trial continues.