Orange County deputy reunites with girl he helped save after family dog attack
A Unionville mother thanked Deputy James Rosengrant during an emotional reunion at the home where her daughter was mauled more than a year ago.
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A New York sheriff’s deputy based in Orange County is being hailed as a hero by a Unionville mother who credits him with helping save her daughter’s life after the little girl was mauled by their family dog.
Deputy James Rosengrant reunited with Jenna Manapat and her daughter, Rayna, Wednesday at their home for the first time since the September 2025 attack.
Rayna was just 1 year old when Manapat says the family fell asleep together on the couch while watching a movie.
Her daughter woke up crying, and Manapat stepped away to get her a bottle. Moments later, she heard something unusual and returned to find the family’s dog with Rayna’s face in its mouth.
“The dog was on the side of her and had her in her mouth,” Manapat recalled.
She managed to free her daughter, secure the dog in its crate and call 911. Rosengrant, who was working a midnight shift, was first on the scene.
“I heard the mother yelling for help from the side door. I went in and found the two of them laying on the kitchen floor,” Rosengrant said.
He helped emergency medical personnel bandage Rayna’s injuries before carrying her to an ambulance. Manapat says the deputy even held her daughter’s hand during the ride to the hospital to help keep her calm.
Newly released, edited body camera footage shows Rosengrant carrying the injured toddler outside while reassuring her.
“It’s OK, baby. You’re OK,” he can be heard saying.
Rayna was hospitalized for nearly a month and has since undergone approximately 15 surgeries to repair damage to her ear canal.
Manapat says the attack also damaged facial nerves, leaving Rayna unable to move the right side of her face. Another major surgery is planned this winter to repair the damage. Despite everything she’s endured, Rayna continues to recover and is preparing to celebrate her third birthday Thursday.
During Wednesday’s emotional reunion, Rosengrant brought the little girl a box of Munchkins and a toy deputy badge. He also played hide-and-seek with her.
“You were one of the people that really made a difference in this situation,” Manapat told him.
Rosengrant says seeing how far Rayna has come means a great deal to him.
“She’s just her average three-year-old little girl. It makes me feel good knowing I helped that,” he said.
The family’s dog, Phoenix, was euthanized the day after the attack. Manapat says the loss made an already devastating situation even more difficult. She believes the dog may have been trying to help her crying daughter without realizing it was hurting her.
“We loved the dog and Rayna’s hurt, so it was a lot to process,” she said.
Manapat hopes their experience serves as a reminder to other parents that unexpected incidents involving family pets can happen at any time.
She credits Rosengrant and the other emergency responders with helping her daughter survive.
“They’re the reason she’s still here. They’re the reason that she continues to grow,” Manapat said.
Rosengrant, who says helping people is simply part of the job, was honored Tuesday with Orange County’s Meritorious Service Award for his life-saving actions during the emergency.
Wednesday’s reunion brought the story full circle, with the deputy returning to the same home where he once carried a badly injured Rayna to safety — this time sharing smiles, playing games and saying goodbye with a hug.
