Three Adults Face Child-Endangerment Charges After Dog Attack Killed 2-Year-Old

Three Charged Months After a Toddler’s Death

More than four months after a 2-year-old girl was killed by a neighbor’s unrestrained dog, Pulaski County, Arkansas, authorities have made arrests. On August 4, 2026, three adults were taken into custody and charged with endangering the welfare of a minor in connection with the death of Celeste Jackson, according to KATV. Those arrested were identified as MaKayla Jackson, 21; Earnest Jackson, 54; and Christina Hart, 41.

The charges turned a case that began as a tragedy and an animal-control investigation into a criminal one. Each of the three is presumed innocent unless and until convicted, and authorities have described the arrests as connected to the March attack that killed the child.

What Happened in March

The attack occurred on March 28, 2026, at about 6:25 p.m. in the 6000 block of Norman Road in Pulaski County, near North Little Rock, according to KATV. Deputies responded to a report of a dog attack involving a young child. A neighbor’s dog that was not fenced or chained attacked Celeste and dragged her into a wooded area.

Deputies and Oak Grove Fire Department personnel attempted life-saving measures at the scene, KATV reported. Celeste was pronounced dead there. Out of respect for the child and consistent with NewsCommand standards, this account does not detail the injuries beyond what is necessary to report that she was killed.

The Investigation and the Dog

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office opened a formal investigation, and the Pulaski County Animal Control Division located and detained the dog, according to KATV. Investigators conducted DNA testing to confirm the animal responsible for the attack. The dog has remained in animal-control custody, KATV reported, and the child’s family said the animal was not a pit bull.

That combination of steps - detectives, animal control, and forensic testing - is what carried the case from the night of the attack to the August arrests. The investigation established the facts of the attack first; the charging decision came later.

A Family That Says It Raised the Alarm

For the child’s family, the case carries a painful earlier chapter. Celeste’s grandmother, Shawnda Jackson, told KATV that the family had previously reported loose dogs in the neighborhood to animal control and had not seen a response. “If they were enforcing it, this tragedy never would have happened,” she said.

Her account frames the family’s central grievance: that the danger was known and reported before it turned fatal. It is a claim about what came before the attack, and it is the family’s perspective as given to KATV, not a finding by investigators.

Where the Case Stands

As of the August 4 arrests, MaKayla Jackson, Earnest Jackson, and Christina Hart each faced a charge of endangering the welfare of a minor, according to KATV and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The dog remained in the custody of Pulaski County Animal Control.

The case now moves from investigation to the courts, where the endangerment charges will be tested. What is confirmed is the sequence: a 2-year-old killed by an unrestrained dog in March, a months-long investigation involving detectives and animal control, and three adults arrested and charged in early August. The defendants have not been convicted, and the matter remains active.

References: Three Arrested After Pulaski County Dog Attack That Killed 2 Year Old Celeste Jackson | Pcso Investigating Death of 2 Year Old Girl After Dog Attack Crime Investigation Detectives Pulaski County Animal Control Dna Tests Life Saving Measures | 3 People Arrested on Endangering Charge Following