A huge dog had brutally mauled a 5-year-old girl in her front yard when police in Iowa received a report about it early one morning. Officers were startled to learn what the girl’s father had done while his child was being beaten up when they got on the scene.
For those of us who are fortunate, our father is the one person we have always been able to rely on to keep us safe. Yet for Elizabeth Quick, the family’s protector wasn’t your typical father. In fact, she will never forget Robert Joseph Quick’s response on the day she was most in danger of passing away.
Deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office raced to a house in Fort Madison at about 10:30 a.m. due to allegations of a continuing animal assault. Unsettlingly, when the police came up to the house, they discovered the extremely “big dog” still on top of its victim since it was so “aggressive.”
Elizabeth Quick, 5, was mauled to within an inch of her life when the dog suddenly attacked her in her front yard, prompting the call. Emergency personnel were very taken aback by what her father did when he saw that the large dog was pulling his daughter apart.
Robert Joseph Quick, 33, reportedly offered his life for his 5-year-old daughter when he threw himself on a huge dog to divert it from attacking the girl. The vicious animal was still on top of Robert when police arrived, mauling him in a horrifying and gory rage.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office stated in a press release that “Mr. Quick had protected his daughter and certainly saved her life by his actions.”
Authorities tried to catch the dog, but it was so “violent” that it grabbed Robert and wouldn’t let go, so deputies shot the dog to halt the attack. According to reports, he was brutally mauled and in serious condition. The unselfish father, who was already dead from his wounds, gave the order for cops to save his daughter, who had been punched in the face.
Lizzie was fortunately saved and made a quick recovery at the neighborhood hospital. But, her father did not. At the scene, Robert had a deadly heart attack and died soon after. He was taken to Fort Madison Community Hospital, where doctors later declared him dead.
Robert Joseph Quick was attacked by a dog while defending his little daughter, according to a statement from the family. By the time the EMTs arrived, he had already suffered a heart attack at the scene of the collision. They were unable to resuscitate him.
The owners of the residence where the event occurred were taking care of the dog, which just so happened to belong to a family member. Although the breed of dog that carried out the assault has not been disclosed by the authorities, this was confirmed.
Robert was survived by his wife, Dawn Quick, and his four children, according to his obituary. In addition, he “liked his children,” but more than anything else, he “enjoyed working on and collecting automobiles, camping, music, fishing, mushrooming, and spending time on the river.”
It is unknown who exactly owned the dog or whether any charges have been brought against the dog’s owner. The fact that the family allowed their kids to interact with the dog suggests that they never thought it would attack.
As Robert willingly gave his life to save his daughter, he has been regarded as a hero. In order to give his little daughter a shot at life, he didn’t have to second-guess his decision to leave himself in the wake of death. He will be regarded as nothing less than a hero for caring more about his daughter’s welfare than his own life while he lay dying.
