RICHMOND, Va. – Almost one year after a9-year-old received 37 stitches from a dog attack,the scars remains visible.
Added to the pain young Sabria Gentry felt on April 24, 2014, is that the insurance policy held by the housing unit will not pay for the injuries suffered by the child.
The family lived in Mosby Court, which is managed by the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
"It didn't sniff me, it started attacking me and biting me on my leg,” Gentry recalled. "I'm too terrified to go back over there.”
“This is their property and I feel they’re responsible for what goes on, on their property,” said Lisa Eggleston, Sabria’s grandmother.
Eggleston is livid over a letter she received on Dec. 24, 2014 from Capstone ISG, RRHA's insurance carrier, which stated that the agency is not liable and will not pay for her granddaughter’s injuries.
The company said the RRHA did not have notice of a dog at 1961 Accomodation Street, as it was not registered, nor had they received any complaints regarding a dog at this location.
“My granddaughter is disfigured from this incident,” Eggleston said. “And it seems to me no one cares about this.”
Officials at RRHA's headquarters on Chamberlayne Avenue declined to speak on camera, but they did send CBS 6 a statement in which they called the accident “unfortunate.”
The statement said that they did not reimburse the Gentry family after the insurance carrier determined they were not liable. They said the matter was outside of their “control and responsibility.”
“RRHA is unable to use public funds to compensate victims of injuries for which RRHA has no legal responsibility,” said Kiera Green, with the RRHA.
Per the leasing agreement, the type of dog that attacked is not allowed; no pitbulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers or German Shepherds. Eggleston said that the dog was normally kept in a cage, and that they had seen the dog there before.
The event that put Sabria on crutches occurred when a teen living inside the apartment let the dog loose. It was an event that Eggleston said has left deeper scars than the ones seen on Sabria’s legs.
"Nightmares,” said Eggleston.” She don't want to be around dogs, don't want to hear dogs barking.”
Eggleston and her family are scheduled to go before RRHA’s Board of Commissioners meeting next Wednesday to plead their case. If that doesn’t work, she said her case could end up in court.
