Justin Gilstrap Wiki, Biography
An 11-year-old Georgia boy named Justin Gilstrap was attacked by three pit bulls on Friday, January 6, 2023. Justin was riding his bike during the brutal attack and sustained some serious injuries.
His cousin was the first to find him injured. A 911 call was made immediately and Justin Gilstrap was rushed to the hospital. He has reportedly undergone multiple surgeries. The dog’s owner has been identified as 26-year-old Burt Baker III. Police arrested Burt on Friday for reckless conduct.
Justin’s mother, Ericka Gilstrap, has launched a GoFundMe page to cover the 11-year-old’s medical expenses. The dog attack left Justin Gilstrap with several bruises and serious injuries. The fundraiser is aiming to raise $120,000 and has already raised $93,227.
Georgia boy Justin Gilstrap nearly lost one of his ears in the attack
Another horrible dog attack incident has been reported. This time, an 11-year-old boy named Justin Gilstrap was viciously attacked by three Pitt bulls on Friday when he was riding his bike around 7 p.m. local time. The gruesome dog attack took place near Grovetown, Georgia. He suffered some serious injuries as a result of the attack.
Justin Gilstrap reportedly has bite marks on his legs and a torn scalp. He nearly lost one of his ears in the attack. Columbia County deputies have confirmed the same with PEOPLE. The young man has undergone multiple surgeries and has been waking up periodically. Justin’s single mother, Ericka Gilstrap, said:
“This has truly been a living nightmare. This morning he woke up and started crying. She told us about his bike and his Georgia boots. All of that is replaceable, isn’t it! It was unfortunate! I hope you don’t remember any of this.
Ericka further spoke to WRDW News and said:
“He didn’t ask for this. He was just being a little kid playing outside like all the kids. He should be home now riding his bike, you know, not sedated in a hospital bed. He just kills me, absolutely kills me. My poor baby.”
Authorities identified the dog’s owner as Burt Baker III (26) who admitted the dog belonged to him. He also mentioned that his pitbulls liked to chase people on their bikes. He was arrested Friday on reckless conduct charges. It was also discovered that Baker had received warnings in the past regarding his dogs.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office provided a statement to Augusta Press. The statement said:
“The three dogs attacked Justin on the side of the road in the ditch, causing substantial injuries to his body that appeared to be life-threatening at the time. Justin was taken to AUMC for emergency surgery.”
The family has complained about Baker’s dogs before, but nothing was done.
Ericka Gilstrap, Justin’s mother is a single mother of four children. She launched a fundraiser to cover her son’s medical expenses. The GoFundMe post read:
“He is missing 70% of his scalp, he has multiple lacerations and staples, they couldn’t close the wound on his leg and now he has a fever.”
She further wrote:
“The sad thing is that we have reported these dogs multiple times before! Columbia County did nothing! It’s sad that this was necessary for them to finally do something.”
Ericka mentioned that despite many complaints, she used to let the dogs out unsupervised. She further added that they would not be behind the fence and that they were not tied up.
Burt Baker III has been retained on a $1,100 bond. Justin Gilstrap’s family is trying to stay strong as the 11-year-old boy slowly recovers from a vicious dog attack. According to the GoFundMe post, he may need to undergo a few more surgeries.
Columbia County commissioners have revealed that they have received countless dog-related concerns in recent years in the Rolling Meadows area. News 12 contacted the Gilstrap family and Ericka told them:
“There isn’t an inch of his body that doesn’t have a cut or a bruise. His life will never be the same again. I don’t want another mom to have to sit next to her baby like I’m doing now.”
News 12 also interviewed Justin’s cousin, Mason, and his mother, Kellie Aguilar. Mason told the news outlet:
“All I hear is yelling ‘help, help, help. I thought my cousin was at his house playing a game. Then I see him sitting there in the ditch with three dogs and blood everywhere, saying, ‘Mason help, Mason help, Mason help.’ He can take on three pitbulls. He is tough as nails”.
WRDW News reported that 11-year-old Justin Gilstrap is currently at Children’s Hospital of Georgia.