Dogs Kill 11-Year-Old Boy, Owner Sentenced by Court

An Edmonton woman whose two Cane Corsos fatally attacked an 11-year-old boy in 2024 has been sentenced to two years of house arrest.

Crystal McDonald was found guilty in May of criminal negligence causing death in the killing of Kache Grist. Along with the two-year house arrest sentence, McDonald must complete 200 hours of community service and is banned from owning dogs for life, although she can appeal the lifetime ban after 10 years.

Kache, who lived with his mother in B.C., was visiting his father, Wesley Grist, in Edmonton’s Summerside neighbourhood during Spring Break. At the time, Wesley was living with McDonald as a roommate.

On the day of the attack, Wesley was working in the garage and sent Kache inside to play video games. About 45 minutes later, when he returned inside, he found that the dogs had fatally attacked the boy.

During court proceedings, it was also revealed that the two dogs had previously killed two pets and injured three adults before the fatal attack on Kache.