Babysitter cleared in pit bull attack that killed boy

SAN DIEGO - A baby sitter whose pit bull attacked and killed a 3-year-old boy at her home was cleared of criminal wrongdoing Friday.

A jury in San Diego County Superior Court found Betty Wallace, 26, not guilty of one felony county of child endangerment in the June 26 death of Shalen Darshea Cammon.

The dog attacked the boy when the child went to pet the 2-year-old pit bull.

The prosecutor had argued that Wallace was criminally negligent to leave the boy alone with a 110-pound pit bull that had a history of attacking other dogs.

''When you have a ferocious animal like that and you leave it around a child ... you should be held accountable,'' said deputy district attorney Dan Goldstein.

Wallace's public defender in the four-day trial, Megan Marcotte, argued that the baby sitter had no way of knowing the dog would attack the boy.

''Prior dog fights doesn't put someone on notice that the dog is dangerous to humans,'' said Marcotte, who added that Wallace could have received up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Wallace had her dog destroyed by animal control officers after the attack.