DogsBite.org Releases 'Beyond the Interview' Essay: Father of Child Killed by Babysitter's Pit Bulls Speaks Out After Attack

Jeff Borchardt, the father of a young boy mauled to death by two pit bulls, and the owner of the dogs, Susan Iwicki, speak out to warn others about the myth, "It's all how they're raised," to prevent future pit bull maulings and fatalities.

Austin, TX July 26, 2013 -- DogsBite.org, a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks, releases Beyond the Interview, an 8,500 word essay detailing a fatal pit bull attack. The essay follows a June 10th interview with WISN when the father spoke to the media about his son's death for the first time. On March 6th, 2013, Daxton Borchardt, 14-months old, was brutally killed by his babysitter's pit bulls while under her care in Walworth, Wisconsin.

Beyond the Interview was created through direct phone calls and emails over a 6-week period with Jeff Borchardt, 39, the boy's grieving father, and Susan Iwicki, 30, the babysitter and owner of the two pit bulls. Both are compelled to speak out after believing the widely pervasive myth, "It's all how they're raised." On March 6th, states the essay, "Susan's well-raised pit bulls acted out their genetic heritage by inflicting an unpredictable destructive attack that took a boy's life."

Read: Beyond the Interview - Essay of a Fatal Pit Bull Mauling

The history of what occurred on March 6th and its aftermath is powerfully told through the voices of the boy's father and owner of the two pit bulls. Beginning with Borchardt seeing his son's horrific injuries for the first time at Mercy-Walworth Medical Center, to the complete unraveling of what he understood his life to be. "Loss thunders through him -- not only for his son, but for an understanding of life. Where did his former understanding go?" states the essay.

Susan Iwicki begins her account when the attack unfolds and provides information unreported in previous news articles, including photographs of her two dogs and where the attack occurred. Iwicki also reveals how long the attack lasted, up to 15 minutes, and how hard she fought to save the boy's life, all the while shouting, "911 Help!" Though several people on an adjacent property heard Iwicki's constant screams, no one called 911 or came to her aid on that day.

The essay also details "The Deceitful, Harmful Controversy." How the pit bull advocacy community responded to the fatal dog attack. Beyond the Interview documents how advocates antagonized Jeff on his Facebook timeline directly following his son's death and that many advocates "lacked all social boundaries, even when confronted directly by one of the boy's parents," states the essay. Documentation of the harassment includes three months after his son's death.

Other aspects of the 8,500 word essay touches upon the "Zero Margin of Error Rule" and the failure of reputable local and national organizations to refute the myth, "It's all how they're raised," states the piece. Beyond the Interview also emphasizes the many entertainment and news organizations that broadcast these myths. "The number of 'positive pit bull' articles generated or publicized by local and national news organizations is staggering," according to the essay.

Beyond the Interview also documents how Jeff Borchardt and Susan Iwicki are coping in the aftermath of the life-ending attack. Four months after the loss of his son, the father's primary income source shut down creating "dramatic financial stress on top of everything else," states the essay. Both Borchardt and Iwicki suffer graphic flashbacks from seeing the horrible injuries inflicted by the pit bulls. Both have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

YouTube Video Release

Leading up to the essay's release, DogsBite.org released a video to the father's YouTube channel to extend his message to video audiences. Borchardt is a well-known deejay across the Midwest and often travels to Milwaukie, Chicago and Indiana to perform. Over a 2-week period, DogsBite.org developed the video by editing together video clips and an audio mix provided by Borchardt. This blending resulted in the father's powerful story and mission emerging on screen.

View the Video: Dax is Gone

About DogsBite.org
DogsBite.org is a national dog bite victims' group dedicated to reducing serious dog attacks. Through our work, we hope to protect both people and pets from future attacks. Our website, www.dogsbite.org, was launched in October 2007 and contains a wide collection of data to help policymakers and citizens learn about dangerous dog breeds. Our research focuses on pit bull type dogs. Due to selective breeding practices that emphasize aggression and tenacity, this class of dogs negatively impacts communities the most. Our website hosts important dog bite studies, U.S. dog bite fatalities and other key bibliographies. In the Legislating Dogs portion of our site, we offer examples of breed-specific laws and documentation of the constitutionality of these laws. The Victim Realities section provides a glance into the unforgettable histories victims leave behind and much more. DogsBite.org operates out of Austin, Texas and can be contacted via: 512-650-8510 or . Research contributions and active website participation stems from individuals that span the United States of America and across the world.