Officials report that a former Colorado K9 killed the police chief's 3-year-old daughter in Kit Carson County

On Monday, August 11, Sheriff Travis Belden and a deputy responding to a 911 call about a dog attack in Burlington discovered the girl in the yard and the dog in a kennel, according to a Kit Carson County Sheriff's Office news release.

According to deputies, the girl was transferred to a hospital and later confirmed dead. The kid was the daughter of Burlington's police chief, according to a news statement from the department.

The dog was a former narcotics K-9 with the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office who was donated to Burlington police when the department discontinued its K-9 program, according to deputies.

The dog, which was being kept by the police chief, was not on active duty, deputies said. It was euthanized by animal control officers after the attack at his home.

“He’s trained for detection. He’s not in any way trained for patrol work, apprehension, anything that would involve biting... So it is very uncharacteristic for him to attack in this fashion,” Belden told KUSA.

The dog, a German shepherd named Draco, had been with the sheriff’s office since 2023, Belden told the station.

The Burlington Police Department does not currently have a police dog program. The incident remains under investigation, deputies said.

“The city of Burlington staff is a family, and our hearts are hurting for the family and those affected by this unfortunate event,” police said in the news release.