The dad of a 7-day-old baby who died after being mauled to death by a family dog named Chomp has been sentenced to 16 years in prison this week
Jason Anthony Weaver was just 7 days old when he was mauled to death by Chomp on Sept. 4, 2025(Image: Myers Funeral Home)
The dad of a 7-day-old baby who died after being mauled to death by a family dog named Chomp has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Jason Anthony Weaver was just 7 days old when he was mauled to death by Chomp on Sept. 4, 2025. Police were dispatched to a home in Markle, Indiana — a small town just over 25 miles southwest of Fort Wayne — after reports that a baby was having trouble breathing.
When they arrived, one officer noted the “strong odor of animal, trash, and dirt everywhere in the home,” court records obtained by WPTA reveal.
The baby’s father, mother, and four other family members were arrested quickly after his death.
The father, Austin Kinsey, said he was playing video games in the same room where the baby was at the time of the incident. He alleged to have left him briefly to talk to other family members when the dog attacked.
Kinsey was initially charged with two counts of neglect and one count of harboring a non-immunized dog that caused an injury. The highest-level charge of neglect was dropped as part of a plea deal that guaranteed the father 16-years in prison this week.
Violet Weaver, the baby’s mother, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing later this month. Meanwhile, the cases against the grandparents, Timothy Kinsey, Rita Kinsey, and Michael Wickey, as well as the baby’s uncle, Tony Kinsey, remain active.
Family members described Chomp as always gentle with Jason, stating that he would rock the baby in the bouncer and “love” the child, court documents said. But the family also said Chomp was a jealous dog with an often aggressive attitude toward other animals. He had bitten people in the past.
After one such biting incident, Wickey told another individual who hasn’t been charged in the case that he could carry a gun in the house to shoot the dog if there were any further issues, court documents say.
Family members described Chomp as always gentle with Jason, stating that he would rock the baby in the bouncer and “love” the child(Image: Violet Weaver / Facebook)
The police weren’t shy in describing the filthy conditions of the home, either, which ultimately led to a vacate order from the Huntington County Health Department, with a final move-out date just four days after baby Jason’s death.
Court documents say the house was infested with bugs, including some that had infested Jason’s car seat, as well as trash, dirty dishes, and dirty clothes strewn about.
“There were so much trash and debris, officers could barely walk through the home,” one officer wrote in a brief. “I also observed numerous cockroaches and flying bugs on the walls, floor, ceiling, and doorways.”
Following the arrests, Chomp and some other dogs were taken from the home and taken to the Huntington County Animal Shelter. While there, the authorities said Chomp showed no aggression or signs of rabies. He was later euthanized.
A necropsy was performed, and a veterinarian found no internal or external abnormalities. The dog was noted to be “in an ideal body condition with no underlying medical conditions.”
The family was ordered to vacate the home after the arrests, as authorities found it unfit for habitation.
