Retired K9 Euthanised After Fatally Attacking Sheriff's 3-Year-Old Daughter at Colorado Home

A Colorado community is in mourning after the 3-year-old daughter of Burlington Police Chief Nathan Hill was fatally mauled by a retired police dog at the family home.

The child, whose name has not been released, died following the attack by Draco, a former K9 narcotics dog for the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office. According to the Kit Carson County Sheriff's Office, emergency responders found the toddler unresponsive in the back garden alongside her mother.

Draco, a black German shepherd, was secured in a kennel when officers arrived. Paramedics rushed the child to Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Chief Hill was not at home during the incident.

Draco's History As A Police Dog

Draco had been a single-purpose narcotics detection dog introduced to the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office in 2023. The department had experienced difficulties retaining a handler, leading to an 'off-and-on' active status.

Despite being labelled non-active, a June 19 Facebook post from the Sheriff's Office showed Draco was still used in a traffic stop to detect controlled substances.

The K9 was retired when the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office ended its K9 programme and was then donated to the Burlington Police Department, with Chief Hill keeping the dog at his home.

Sheriff Travis Beldon confirmed that Draco was no longer an active K9 at the time. He described the attack as 'very uncharacteristic', explaining: 'He's trained for detection. He's not in any way trained for patrol work, apprehension, anything that would involve biting ... so it is very uncharacteristic for him to attack in this fashion.'

The dog was taken to the Burlington pound and euthanised shortly after the incident.

No Criminal Charges Expected

Authorities say they do not anticipate any suspect or criminal charges in relation to the child's death. Sheriff Beldon noted the Hill family also have a son and described the town as close-knit, saying: 'It's an incident that's extremely tragic ... it will affect this community for a little bit. It's something that's gonna be in the back of everybody's mind for a while.'

A Community In Mourning

The Burlington Police Department released a statement offering condolences: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred within the city limits of Burlington, CO. Our hearts go out to Chief Nate Hill, his wife and family for the loss of their little girl, who was victim of a dog attack.'

This devastating case raises questions about the risks of keeping retired working dogs, even those not trained in apprehension, and highlights the unpredictable nature of animals with a history in law enforcement.