An 11-year-old boy was mauled to death by two notorious Cane Corso dogs after his father ignored warnings not to bring him to stay with them, a court heard.  

The dogs' owner, Crystal MacDonald, made the claim Friday after being charged over the April 2024 death of Kache Grist at the house in Edmonton, Canada, that she shared with Kache's father Wesley Grist. 

MacDonald, who denies a count of criminal negligence causing death, told jurors that the dogs had mauled a female neighbor months before Kache's death. They'd also killed a Pomeranian dog and a cat, the court heard.  

MacDonald and Wesley Grist were roommates at the time. Kache, who lived in British Columbia, was visiting his father during spring break.

MacDonald testified that she opposed the boy staying at the house after the dogs attacked a woman in the backyard two months earlier.

'I said, "Absolutely not, I don't think it's a good idea,"' MacDonald told the court, according to CTV News.

Before Kache's death, the two dogs, named Khaos and Kairo, each weighing more than 100 pounds, mauled Tina Kelepouris, leaving her with three broken ribs, a punctured lung and more than a dozen stitches.

Wesley Grist testified that he was cleaning tools in the garage when Kache went inside to play a new video game. 

When he entered the house, he found his son lying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor with the two dogs standing nearby.

But MacDonald said Grist ignored her warning and arrived at the house with his son anyway.

She testified that she repeatedly told Grist not to leave Kache alone with the dogs and warned the boy that the animals had previously attacked both people and pets.

MacDonald also tried to board the dogs at a kennel during Kache’s visit, but they were turned away because they did not have the required vaccinations.

The day before he died, MacDonald hid Easter eggs filled with chocolate and money around the house for Kache.

On the day of the attack, she said she placed the dogs in their kennels before leaving for work.

Later that day, she received a phone call telling her that Kache had been killed.

An autopsy found the boy died from a bite wound to the neck. The dogs were later euthanized.

Wesley Grist testified that he was in the garage cleaning tools when Kache went inside to play a new video game.

Court heard the boy then let Khaos into the house from the backyard.

During cross-examination, prosecutor Anders Quist asked MacDonald whether she knew the dogs were capable of killing the boy.

‘I knew they were capable of killing anyone,’ she said.

The trial continues.