Beau Brattain has undergone multiple surgeries after six dogs attacked him while he collected sand during a family vacation.
MIAMI — A 9-year-old Florida boy is continuing a difficult recovery after six dogs attacked him on a beach in Bimini, Bahamas, leaving him with about 100 bite wounds and life-threatening injuries that required an emergency flight to Miami.
Beau Brattain was vacationing with his family when he stepped outside on the morning of July 28 to collect sand near the water, according to police accounts and his family. The outing had a simple purpose: Beau wanted sand for hermit crabs the family had caught the night before. Instead, several dogs attacked him shortly before 10:30 a.m., beginning a medical ordeal that has included emergency treatment, several operations and what his parents say will be a lengthy period of rehabilitation.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force said a woman contacted the Alice Town Police Station after the attack. Police said Beau suffered bites to his legs, an arm, his face and his head. An unidentified man intervened and chased away the dogs, according to investigators. Beau then returned to the place where his family was staying and alerted his mother. His injuries were serious enough that he was first taken for local medical care before authorities arranged for him to be flown to the United States.
The U.S. Coast Guard transported Beau to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami for additional treatment. His father, Michael Brattain, has said Beau remained awake during the flight as the family tried to keep him responsive. At Jackson Memorial, doctors began treating extensive injuries that included damage to his scalp as well as wounds to other parts of his body. His mother, Aliette Trelles, said her son has continued to surprise those around him with his progress.
By early August, Beau had undergone three surgeries, according to his family. Trelles said further procedures and therapy were expected as doctors worked through the next stages of his recovery. The full cost and length of that treatment remain uncertain. The family has said the medical, rehabilitation and travel expenses could be substantial, and relatives created an online fundraiser to help with those costs.
The case also moved quickly through the Bahamian court system. Harrington Rolle, 34, the owner of the six dogs, pleaded guilty to negligently causing grievous harm and was sentenced Aug. 4 to 12 months in prison. He also received a six-month sentence for owning a dangerous dog that caused injury and a 30-day sentence for permitting a dangerous dog to be at large. The sentences are to run at the same time.
Rolle told the court that the dogs had been kept in a storage shed and acknowledged that its lock was defective. Acting Chief Magistrate Ancella Evans addressed the seriousness of the attack during sentencing. The dogs were also ordered euthanized, according to reporting on the court proceedings.
For Beau’s family, the court action has unfolded alongside the more immediate task of helping him heal. His parents have described a recovery likely to involve additional treatment and therapy rather than a quick return to normal activities. Trelles said her son has remained strong despite the severity of what happened and expressed gratitude for the people who intervened, transported him and provided medical care.
The family has not announced when Beau could be released from ongoing medical care or when his treatment will be completed. As of the latest public updates, he remained on a recovery path in South Florida after surviving injuries that authorities and his family said were life-threatening.
Author note: Last updated August 9, 2026.