In the 15-year period of 2005 through 2019, canines killed 523 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 66% (346) of these deaths. Combined, pit bulls and rottweilers contributed to 76% of the total recorded deaths. | More »
Statistical information gathered by DogsBite.org is verifiable through news reports and other criteria.1 Our Fatality Citations section documents sources used in our dog bite fatality research.
| 2019 fatal dog attacks by breed |
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In 2019, 8 dog bite fatalities involved canines from 2 or more different breeds, thus producing a death count total of 61 rather than 50. Nine dog breeds each contributed to 1 death, including: American bulldog, Belgian malinois, coonhound, doberman pinscher, Dutch shepherd, great dane, husky, mastiff and presa canario.
The below items were issued when annual statistics were originally published on July 16, 2020. New fatalities and updates to our 2019 Fatality Statistics may have been added since.
Dianne Reves, 70-years old, was killed by a pack of loose dogs in her own backyard. Grenada County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 1600 block of Carpenter Road at approximately 3:30 pm on January 10 after a neighbor discovered Reves dead. Investigators believe the attack happened one day earlier. "We're talking about several hundred dog bites here," Investigator Josh Dale said. Seven mixed-breed dogs, weighing about 80 pounds each, were seized through a warrant from Grenada County Justice Court and taken into custody. “We believe that we have all of the dogs involved,” Dale said. The canines were analyzed by a veterinarian and later euthanized. The dogs belonged to a neighbor living two houses away. Reves had worked for many years as a nurse in Grenada. Shirley Holiday, Reeves' co-worker and friend, said that Reves retired about 5 years ago. "She was just looking so forward to it. She had plans," Holiday said. As of January 19, 2019 no one has been arrested or cited in connection to her mauling death. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 9, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Mixed-breed (7) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Lana Bergman, 70-years old, was killed by four pit bulls belonging to guests staying on her property. At about 10:11 pm, San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies from the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Station responded to a report of a vicious dog attack in the 59000 block of Sunflower Drive. She was first discovered dead by her roommate, Joe Fairbanks, and one of the owners of the dogs. All four pit bulls were taken into custody. The dogs belong to Stephanie Johnston and her husband, who live in a converted school bus with their four children. Two weeks before the fatal mauling, the couple parked their bus on Bergman's property and began living there. Lana's brother, Jay Barnett, characterized the dogs' owners as "squatters" who had had overstayed their visit at his sister's home. The day the dogs killed Lana, she left a message on her sister-in-law's phone stating that she had ordered them off her property and that tomorrow "they are being pulled out" and that "they have to leave this premises." The dogs killed her before "tomorrow" arrived. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 16, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (4) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Guest |
| Spay/Neuter: | Mixed | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Moise Maddox, 87-years old, died while hospitalized after being mauled by a dog. On December 31, 2018, Miami Gardens police officers were dispatched to a home in the 2100 block of NW 153rd Street at approximately 10:19 am. "The victim was in the rear yard when the family pet, a presa canario, attacked the victim," states a report from the Miami Gardens Police Department. "It could not be determined why the dog attacked the victim." Maddox sustained severe injuries to both lower legs. He was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami for advanced medical treatment. "Maddox had both of his legs amputated below his knees" due to the severe damage, states the report. His left arm was going to be amputated, due to a developing infection, when he succumbed to cardiac arrest on January 20, 2019. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death was "complications of canine mauling." Miami-Dade Animal Control took possession of the dog. The animal was subsequently euthanized. There were no media reports about this attack. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 20, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Presa canario | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Son/brother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Wayne Pattison, 79-years old, died five days after being attacked by his dog. Officers from the Lumberton Police Department responded to his home in the 200 block of Thomas Road on January 20 and characterized the incident as an "unattended death." According to his autopsy, performed by the Forensic Medical Management Services of Texas, Pattison died of a heart attack in the "setting of an animal attack." Inquest notes show that he was attacked on January 15, transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital and released on January 18. He died two days later. Injuries inflicted by the dog included a 9 x 4 inch laceration on his left forearm that required reconstructive surgery. Pattison had taken over the care of "Bradford", a pit bull-mix, from his granddaughter, who had rescued the dog from death row. After Pattison's death, she shared a post on Losing Lulu, a "grief support" group for dogs euthanized for behavior. "Then I got the call that changed my life," she said. "He had attacked my grandfather." The family shot and killed the dog after the attack. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 20, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unknown | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Ed Stanley, 85-years old, died two weeks after he was attacked by loose dogs on his driveway. On January 7, Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare responded to a 911 call about a man being attacked by two dogs in the 4400 block of Evelyn Street in Amarillo. "911 was notified that a citizen was being attacked. Police, fire, and EMS, as well as us responded," said Richard Havens, Director of Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare. "His legs were attacked, his face was attacked, his arms were attacked," Havens said. This was not just a dog attack, the man was mauled by a pit bull-mix and shepherd-mix, officials said. Havens said the attack "was definitely headed towards a fatality had it not been for the tremendous nature of this citizen willing to put their life and limb at risk to save another." The next-door neighbor who rushed to help Stanley was never named in the media reports. Both dogs were confiscated and placed into quarantine. The animal shelter said it’s aware of who the owners are and are reviewing the case for a dangerous declaration. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 21, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (1) German shepherd-mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Patricia Henson, 8-months old, was horrifically mauled by a large dog while her mother slept. On January 24, Tucson police officers responded to a home in the 7700 block of East Apple Tree Drive at approximately 1:30 am after receiving a call of an unresponsive child. Police said Henson was extremely intoxicated when they arrived. The baby was found with puncture wounds and scrapes, consistent with injuries caused by a dog. The autopsy report, released in March, stated she "sustained several injuries during the incident, including abrasions, lacerations, contusions, and puncture wounds; absence of soft tissues; hemorrhages; hematomas and lacerations; among other injuries." An examination of the dog's stomach contents revealed "human infant teeth and skeletal fragments." The child's mother, Breanna Henson, 30, was arrested and charged with one count of felony child abuse and released into the custody of her parents. She later pleaded guilty to a felony charge of child endangerment. Henson was sentenced to a year of probation. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 24, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | German shepherd-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Mother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Ashton McGhee, 1-year old, was mauled to death by a family pit bull-mix. Officers from the Guthrie Police Department responded to a residence on North Ewing Street where they found a 1-year old boy on the couch, unresponsive, but breathing. The child had "deep abrasions to the head, chest, and neck" from being mauled by the family pit bull-mix, police said. The child's grandmother and great-grandmother suffered injuries while trying to pull the dog off the toddler. The baby had been playing with a ball on the floor when the dog came inside from the outdoors. The dog attacked the baby, including breaking the baby's jaw. The baby and grandmother were transported to Tennova Medical Center in Clarksville, where the boy died of his injuries. According to family members, Ashton lived in Hopkinsville, Kentucky with his mother, Miranda McGhee, and his two siblings. Ashton had been playing at his grandparent's home in Guthrie when the dog attacked him. His grandfather told police the dog normally played and interacted with the boy calmly. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 7, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Grandparents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Elaine Richman, 66-years old, was found dead with multiple dog bite injuries. On February 8, at approximately 8:00 am, Houston police officers performed a welfare check to a residence in the 12800 block of Susanna Lane. Richman had not been seen at her dog training classes for two days. Officers found Richman dead in her backyard with dog bites on her face, arms and hands. Two doberman pinschers were located inside the victim's home. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences conducted the autopsy, which showed that Richman died from "sharp force injuries." The manner of death was an accident. The victim's brother, Bruce Richman, said she had trained and showed doberman pinschers for decades. Richman had been affiliated with a number of different doberman groups. The two adult dogs, a female and a male, were taken into custody. A Twitter user called the dogs "Mischief & Ranger." Mischief is from Katoba doberman lines and Ranger is from Northstar doberman lines. As of August 26, 2019 no other information is known. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 8, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Doberman pinscher (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Angela Johnson, 54-years old, died nearly two months after a violent pit bull mauling. The attack occurred on December 15 as Johnson was hanging laundry in her yard in rural Anza, California. Riverside County Fire Department said they were dispatched to a residence in the 55000 block of Mitchell Road around 9:30 am. Johnson suffered severe bite injuries and was airlifted to a trauma center. "All three [dogs] were pit bulls or pit bull mixes and there is a known owner," John Welsh, a spokesman for Riverside County Department of Animal Services, said. The agency confiscated the dogs. The canines were euthanized on January 7. The dogs' owner, Jesse Leon Miranda, 61, of Anza, was arrested on an outstanding felony warrant. On December 19, a GoFundMe page for Johnson stated that she remained on life support. The dogs ripped out a "main artery in her throat, causing a severe stroke to the left side of her brain, leaving her half brain dead," her son stated on the fundraising page. On February 9, Johnson succumbed to her injuries and died. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 9, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Brenda Hamilton, 77-years old, was killed by one or more dogs while taking her daily morning walk. On February 15, around 5:47 am, she was discovered in a ditch submerged up to her shoulders in water on Indian Run Road. She sustained catastrophic injuries to both arms, both legs and her scalp. She was transported to Vidant Pitt Hospital where she died three days later. Beaufort County sheriff's investigators initially thought a "bear" inflicted the attack, despite two dogs being at the scene. Those dogs were examined "about an hour after the attack" by deputies and animal control. Both tested positive for trace amounts of human blood on their paws and in their mouth. The DNA lab also located domestic canine mitochondrial DNA on six other items of evidence at the scene. The scientist who tested the samples, "found no evidence for anything besides domestic dog." For months, county officials debated whether a hybrid (coyote or red wolf) was the culprit. Both dogs under suspicion were returned to their owners after a 10-day quarantine. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 18, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Unreleased | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Unreleased |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Nancy Burgess-Dismuke, 52-years old, died after "play-wrestling" with her two dogs turned deadly. Around 1:00 pm, Greenville County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to her home in the first block of Yale Street for a report of a dog attack. Neighbors had already rushed to her aid. They found one dog latched onto each of her arms tearing into her flesh, "eating her." Denzel Whiteside grabbed a blunt axe and William Long a crankshaft and started striking the dogs. By the time they got the dogs off her, "One arm was already bit completely off, the other arm was barely hanging on by a piece of meat," Whiteside said. She was taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital where she died. Senior Deputy Coroner Kent Dill said the victim suffered "multiple, extremely severe, dog bites to her upper extremities resulting in a large volume of blood loss." Katora Strickland, the victim's niece, said the two were inseparable. She stated on social media that one of the boxer-mixes, a male, had attacked Burgess-Dismuke in the past, but her aunt still loved the dog and would not put it down. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 21, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Boxer-mix (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Bessie "Jill" Peterson, 88-years old, was savagely killed by a pack of dogs belonging to her neighbor. The attack occurred about 5:00 pm in the 100 block of Evans Lane in Pall Mall. Her sister, Nina Brown, 85, witnessed part of the attack. Brown said Jill had gone to the back of her home to clear a drainage ditch. The pack of six mixed-breed dogs came from behind and viciously attacked her. "They dragged her down the yard and all of her clothes were off, her shoes, everything. They tore all of her hair out, the casket can't be open, it's like a nightmare," Brown said. She tried to reach her sister to help, but three of the dogs then charged her. Suffering catastrophic injuries, Jill was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she died. The sisters had complained to authorities multiple times in the past about these dogs. On August 13, Holland "Holly" Hugh Evans was indicted and arrested on two felony counts in connection to her death: dogs at large causing death and criminally negligent homicide. She was later sentenced to three years probation. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 26, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Mixed-breed (6) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Johnnie Garner, 88-years old, was killed by a pack of pit bulls belonging to her neighbor. Officers from the Lubbock Police Department responded to the 1800 block of East Colgate Street around 6:30 pm after it was reported that six dogs were attacking an elderly woman. According to the police report, a neighbor told the dogs' owner that his dogs were at large. The owner went into the alley to find them and heard Garner screaming for help. He found his dogs attacking her. The dogs' owner jumped the fence to help her, but his own "pack of dogs" then charged him. The owner was able to call 911. Garner was transported to Covenant Health where she later died. Steven Greene, director of Lubbock Animal Services, said his agency responded and impounded the dogs. Greene described all six dogs as pit bull-mixes. They were euthanized at the owner's request. In the City of Lubbock, no residence shall harbor more than four adult dogs on their property. On March 8, Courtney White, 47, was charged with a second-degree felony in connection to her death. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 27, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (6) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Jacari Long, 6-months old, was killed by his babysitter's dog while under her care at her home. The Salisbury Police Department said the dog attack occurred around 2:20 pm in the 700 block of Wilson Road. The babysitter, who is the child's godmother, sat the child down in the living room in a car seat while she went outside to clean the backseat of her car to make room for the baby. She heard her mother scream and ran back inside, where she found her dog attacking the baby. The babysitter and her mother rushed the child to Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. He was then airlifted to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where he died. Police were not notified until after the child had been airlifted. "It was very horrific," said Lieutenant Greg Beam. "Especially for the first responders, the hospital staff involved," he said. Rowan County Animal Control took custody of the dog, a 4-year old male pit bull-boxer mix, named "King." Shelter staff said the dog had displayed aggressive behavior at the facility. The dog was euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 5, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-boxer mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Babysitter |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Tanner Kinnamon, 2-years old, was killed by two dogs while under the care of his grandmother. The attack occurred around 10:30 am at a property in the 20900 block of Northwest 210th Avenue, where the grandmother's daughter resides. The child was the son of a second daughter. The grandmother often tended to her daughter's six pit bull-type dogs, all described as "rescues," while her daughter was at work. Two of the dogs were let out in the yard. The child went out to play and the grandmother went inside. When she returned, "there were no dogs and no boy," Lieutenant Brett Rhodenizer of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office said. She heard sounds from a shed behind the home, where she found the dogs attacking the child. She tried to rescue the boy and sustained "traumatic" injuries. Ed Williams, director of Alachua County Animal Services, said the six dogs were "housed in large, clean crates in multiple rooms." This indicates a "crate-and-rotate" multi-pit bull household, where the crated dogs cannot even be kept in the same room. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 8, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (1) American bulldog-mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Aunt |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Jimmy Grigg, 53-years old, died after being attacked by three dogs belonging to one of his brothers. The attack occurred in the 5600 block of Highland Road in the unincorporated area of Santa Fe in Galveston County. Sheriff's deputies responded to the residence at approximately 3:40 pm after a 911 call by a different brother of Grigg, saying that Grigg had been attacked by the dogs and could be dead. The victim died en route to Mainland Medical Center. Grigg was on a family member's property when the dogs attacked him, Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said. The cause of death was "canine mauling," according to the autopsy report. Grigg suffered numerous incised wounds/abrasions mostly along his legs and left arm. The manner of death was ruled an accident. The owner of the dogs told deputies his dogs were usually "put up and secured" but was unsure how they got out and attacked his brother. The owner surrendered his dogs to the county, two large mixed-breeds and a smaller cattle dog-mix. No criminal charges were brought. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 13, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Mixed-breed (2) Cattle dog-mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Brother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Jaysiah Chavez, 2-years old, was brutally killed by a pair of roaming rottweilers. Fresno police officers were dispatched to the 5900 block of East Kaviland Avenue at approximately 11:00 am. Arriving officers found the boy suffering severe dog bite injuries. He was transported to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Police said the child had wandered out of the family's home into the front yard where the dogs attacked him. Other children in the home alerted the grandmother to the dog attack and she rushed outside. She tried to intervene, but the dogs attacked her too. The boy's grandfather was able to stop the attack. Investigators said the rottweilers dug a hole under the owner's fence that morning, ran through a neighbor's yard, crossed a street then attacked the toddler. A neighbor of the rottweilers' owner, Theresa Davis, said the pair of rottweilers had been in the neighborhood for eight or nine years and had a history of digging themselves out. Both rottweilers were euthanized. No criminals charges are pending against the owners. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 22, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Johana Villafane, 33-years old, was mauled to death by her own two pit bulls. The attack happened while Villafane was visiting her dogs in quarantine at O'Connor Animal Hospital due to biting a man eight days earlier. Villafane had to board her dogs at the private facility because the Irving Animal Shelter's quarantine space was "at capacity." Dr. James Kang, DVM, the veterinarian at the animal hospital, issued a statement afterward stating that Villafane's pit bulls were so aggressive his staff could not walk them. He told Villafane his clinic could not keep her dogs due to their aggressive behavior, unless she came and walked them twice a day. On March 23, around 11:00 am, Villafane went to the clinic on North O'Connor Road to perform this. She took her dogs into the backyard exercise area, where they brutally attacked her. It was 35 minutes before an employee saw her bloody body in the grass. An Irving police officer arrived and shot and killed both dogs. Villafane's male and female pit bulls were about 1-year old; the female was pregnant at the time. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 23, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Kyna DeShane, 15-months old, was mauled to death by a rottweiler while visiting her grandfather's home in Henderson. The deadly attack occurred at a residence in the 100 block of Appian Way just before 8:00 am. Henderson police officers, animal control officials and the Henderson Fire Department responded to the residence near Horizon Drive and Pacific Avenue. Officers arrived to find a 15-month old girl with life-threatening injuries inflicted by a rottweiler. She was transported to Henderson Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The 4-year old rottweiler belonged to a friend of the child's family. Her grandfather, identified only as "Richard," told a local news outlet afterward that she had been around large dogs, including this rottweiler in the past. Animal control officers took the rottweiler into custody. It was euthanized "per the owner's request," police said. The Clark County Coroner's Office determined she died of "multiple injuries from a mauling." The manner of death was ruled accidental. Kyna was a resident of Ely, Nevada. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 27, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Family friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Isaiah Geiling, 2-years old, was attacked and killed by a family pit bull. Around 12:00 pm, Louisville police officers responded to a home in the 3800 block of Grand Avenue about reports of a child in the mouth of a pit bull, according to dispatch records. Officers performed CPR on the boy before the ambulance arrived. Audio dispatch logs from Louisville Fire stated the boy was "bitten by a pit bull in the head. Heavy bleeding." He was transported to Norton Children's Hospital, where he died. The Jefferson County coroner listed the cause of death as blunt force injuries. The boy's maternal grandmother, Cynthia Coy, said the pit bull had bitten Isaiah three weeks earlier. She provided a photograph of his dog bite injury too. In July, the dog's owners, Jack Charpring Jr., 50, and Sharon Charpring, 53, were charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection to his death. The boy's mother, Jennifer Geiling, 25, was charged with reckless homicide. Prosecutors said the Charprings and Geilings were not related, but lived together in the same home. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 2, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Roommate |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Christine Liquori , 52-years old, was savagely killed by a pit bull-mix while volunteering at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County. Fort Pierce police responded to the facility at 100 Savannah Road around 2:15 pm for a report of a dog bite. They found Liquori dead in an outdoor fenced play yard next to the building. The medical examiner's office said the cause of death was severe blood loss due to dog bites. After police concluded their investigation, they released more details. Liquori was fatally mauled by a pit bull-mix named "Amos." Liquori had arrived at the shelter at about noon. She was found dead by a volunteer about 2:00 pm after he noticed that Amos was not in his kennel. Liquori had "several lacerations and puncture marks to her right arm" and severe injuries to her face -- it was covered in blood, according to the police report. The 911 caller told the dispatcher Liquori suffered traumatic injuries. "She's mutilated," the caller said. "And she's dead." Amos was available for adoption when he killed Liquori. The dog was euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 9, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Humane society |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Ryan Hazel, 14-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs at a home on Maple Swamp Road while their owner was away. There were 11 adult dogs on the property and 9 puppies. Five dogs -- four Belgian malinois and one Dutch shepherd -- were loose during the attack. The property and dogs belong to Scott Dunmore, 49, who is a professional dog trainer and highly regarded in "Schutzhund," a competitive sport for protection dogs. Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III said that Ryan regularly cared for the dogs when Dunmore was away. On the day of the attack, around 6:25 pm, Ryan's grandmother drove him to the property and waited in the car while he completed his tasks. When he did not return in 45 minutes, she called his parents. His parents quickly contacted a neighbor to check on Ryan who found him suffering from "traumatic injuries" and called 911. Dighton police received the call at 7:59 pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Ryan was a student at Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School where he played football and ran track. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 9, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Belgian malinois (4) Dutch shepherd (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Dog trainer |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Robert Quick, 33-years old, died after being attacked by a dog. When Fort Madison Police Department responded to a dog attack at 102 Avenue C at approximately 10:31 am, they found a large dog attacking a man in the front yard. Officers fired on the dog, killing it, to stop the attack. Then they encountered Joe, lying in the doorway of the home suffering from bite injuries. Joe told officers to first help his 5-year old daughter, who had been attacked in the face by the dog. All told, the dog -- described as a male, brown boxer-mix -- attacked two adult men and a child. All three victims were transported to Fort Madison Community Hospital, where Quick was pronounced dead. The dog did not belong to any of the victims, but was being watched by occupants of the home on Avenue C for a family member. Joe's mother, Deb Newman, said that he died of a heart attack, but he also suffered traumatic injuries in the dog attack, including jugular vein bites in the left-hand side of his neck. As of June 18, 2019, the coroner has not issued the cause of death. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 31, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Boxer-American bulldog mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Relative of tenant |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Crystal Pearigen, 36-years old, was discovered dead in a Costco parking lot in the 3800 block of Rosedale Highway after being attacked by multiple dogs. Around 6:10 am, a passerby found her body with obvious signs of trauma. Two of the dogs, a pit bull and mixed-breed, belonged to a nearby business owner. The third dog, also a pit bull, was a stray, Bakersfield police confirmed. The attack began in a commercial area adjacent to the Costco lot shared by several businesses. As it continued, Pearigen fled into the Costco lot, where she died. When officials located the dogs, investigators said that bloodstains and aggressiveness were indicators they were involved. The coroner ruled the cause of death to be "multiple injuries." Pearigen had led a tragic life, according to Jennie Greene, who raised Pearigen's only child. Her mother was murdered when she was a teenager. Afterward, she interacted with CPS, foster care and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. Greene told a media outlet that the coroner "recommended absolutely no viewing of any kind." [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 16, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) Mixed-breed (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Business owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Nicholas Farris, 2-years old, was killed by a family dog. The Newman Police Department and Emergency Medical Services were dispatched just after 2:00 pm to a residence in the 1900 block of Pine Street for a report of a dog attack. Arriving responders found a 2-year old boy who had been attacked by a family dog in the backyard. He was transported to Emmanuel Medical Center in Turlock, where he was pronounced dead. The dog involved was a pit bull-mastiff cross, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department. Newman Animal Services took the canine into custody and placed it into quarantine. Neighbors of the child told media outlets the dog was aggressive and even broke through a post on their shared fence a few weeks earlier. Alejandra Hernandez had to put up a reinforcement board to repair the fence. Alejandra said the dog nearly bit his grandmother, Julie Hernandez, and that she was fearful of the large dog. Julie, who only spoke in Spanish, told Alejandra the same dog also tried to attack her own dogs. No other information was released. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 27, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mastiff mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Mother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Maria Crawford, 54-years old, died of "dog bite wounds of the head, neck and leg" on June 28, 2019, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's report. An extensive neck wound resulted in "comminuted fracturing of the thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone" and perforated the left internal jugular vein. The manner of death was an accident. Ventura police officers were dispatched to a residence in the 10600 block of Sunflower Street around 4:25 pm after a family member returned home and found Crawford dead. Authorities confiscated two dogs from the home, "Havoc," a female pit bull, and "Kai," a neutered pit bull-mix, but falsely designated an "Australian Cattle Dog" in Ventura County Animals Services (VCAS) records. This was the third time Kai had been impounded for attacking Crawford. The first attack occurred on January 19, when the dog mauled her left cheek. The second attack occurred on March 19, when the dog ripped off her right ear. After both facial attacks, VCAS returned the dog to the victim. Three months later the dog killed her. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 28, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim/Daughter |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Brian Butler, 46-years old, was discovered dead on the side of McCoy Lane, near Gilbertsville Highway, just after 8:00 pm. Marshall County Animal Control impounded two pit bulls located in the area of Butler's body. An autopsy conducted at the Western Kentucky Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be "sharp force trauma from a dog attack." Butler's sister, Cheryl Roberts, said that he was homeless and down on his luck; he would sleep on couches in the neighborhood. Butler was also familiar with these pit bulls. "He slept with them dogs," Roberts explained. Two days after the attack, animal control seized a third pit bull from the area. On July 3, Kentucky State Police arrested Daniel Kai Alexander, 29, of Gilbertsville, on a felony arrest warrant in connection to Butler's death. The investigation showed that Alexander, who owns the three pit bulls, tampered with evidence at the scene. Alexander also had knowledge of Butler's body on McCoy Lane and did not contact the proper authorities. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 29, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male (3) | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Melvin Olds, Jr., 45-years old, was discovered dead on the Fourth of July with injuries indicative of a dog attack. The attack occurred after Olds took a shortcut in a wooded area in his Highway Park neighborhood. His body was found just before noon. He was last seen alive a few hours earlier. The Highlands County Sheriff's Office, the District 10 Medical Examiner and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission determined the preliminary cause of death were injuries suffered in an animal attack. No wounds other than those caused by dogs were found on Olds' body -- a July 5 autopsy confirmed this. Over 100 dog bites were found on his body. Highlands County Animal Services officers set traps and began patrolling the area, looking for loose dogs. Six dogs were captured and their bite size matched the wounds on Olds body. WFLA-TV reported that all six dogs are pit bull-mixes. DNA from the dogs will be compared to DNA collected from the wounds to make a final determination of the dogs involved. The owner of the attacking dogs is unknown. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 4, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mixes (6) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Unreleased |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Ruth Flores, 3-weeks old, was bitten on the head and killed by a family dog. Just before 2:00 pm, Hall County sheriff's deputies responded to a residence in the 2900 block of Gillsville Highway for a report of a dog bite to a 22-day old baby girl. "The incident occurred inside the home, in a bedroom where the infant was resting," states a release from the Hall County Sheriff's Office. She was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with serious injuries, where she died. Hall County Animal Control took custody of the dog, which belonged to the family at the residence. The infant's mother was home when the family's 2-year old husky attacked the sleeping baby in a bedroom, Lieutenant Chris Dale, said. "Other dogs in crates" were also at the family's home at the time. No other children were in the residence at the time of the attack, Dale said. The next day, news footage captured three dogs in the front window of the family's home -- two huskies and a white dog with wavy hair. Hall County sheriff's officials declined to file charges. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 9, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Husky | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Grandmother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Homer Utterback, 52-years old, was brutally killed by his own pit bull of 10 years. Police and Fayette County EMS were dispatched to a residence in the first block of Park Avenue at approximately 1:00 am. Utterback's girlfriend told police she heard something fall. She got up to see what the noise was and found Utterback on the floor with the dog biting his neck. Utterback was already dead by the time EMS arrived, police said. Archives of the Fayette County Fire and EMS audio feed captured their response. "Patient had a seizure," dispatch states. "As he was doing so, a pit bull attacked him. He has a hole in his head and his neck." Investigators said Utterback suffered from seizures. They believe he had an episode and fell out of bed then the dog attacked him. Utterback's girlfriend told officers the male pit bull, "Petey," was their pet for a decade and was Utterback's "best friend." The Utterback household also had at least four more pit bulls -- all offspring of Petey. It's unknown if family members will keep the remaining "pack" of younger pit bulls. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 11, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Mario Moore, 40-years old, died after being attacked by a pack of dogs. The Memphis Police Department responded to a call just after 2:00 am at the intersection of East Belle Haven and Meadowbrook. When officers arrived, they observed a male victim's body covered in lacerations. Multiple aggressive dogs were located across the street. Moore was transported in critical condition to Regional One Medical Center, where he later died. Memphis Animal Services (MAS) eventually took custody of eight dogs. After his death, two women said that loose dogs in that neighborhood had attacked them too. Sherry Pruitt said she was attacked by the same dogs on May 7. She warned the city about the dogs three weeks before they killed Moore in an email. MAS replied to her via email 15 minutes later requesting more information, but Pruitt did not respond. MAS released photographs of two dogs, a mixed-breed and a pit bull-mix, that were involved in both Moore's and Pruitt's attack. As of July 25, 2019, no other information has been released. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 18, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Mixed breed (1) Pit bull-mix (1) Unreleased (6) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Nelson Cabrera, 16-years old, was attacked by three pit bulls secured in their owner's backyard. The Irving Police Department received reports of an attack around 4:45 am in the 800 block of East Third Street. Arriving officers jumped the fence and tried to stop the attack by placing themselves between the teenager and the dogs, firing on the pit bulls in the process. Cabrera was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital with critical injuries, where he later died. Guillermo Lorenzo, who owned the pit bulls, told media outlets, "He has no right to be in [my] yard." Lorenzo claimed his dogs were "doing their job" by protecting him. Four pit bull puppies were also seen at Lorenzo's home. Univision, a Spanish speaking news outlet, reported that Cabrera had been staying at Lorenzo's home for several days. "The young man had stayed a few days in his house due to a favor he wanted to do to the minor. However, the owner of the house had canceled access to the property due to alleged problems that dragged the child," states the Google translation. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 10, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Tenant |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Emma Hernandez, 9-years old, was killed by three pit bulls or pit bull-mixes while riding her bike in an alley behind her Detroit home. The attack occurred around 4:00 pm near the intersection of Central Street and Smart Street. Neighbors rushed to help, including Edward Cruz, who threw a brick at the dogs causing them to flee. Another bystander started firing on the dogs, striking one pit bull. Detroit Deputy Fire Commissioner Dave Fornell said, "We were performing EMS under gunfire," at the scene. She was rushed to Children's Hospital of Michigan, where she was pronounced dead. The girl's father, Armando Hernandez, said he recently warned the dogs' owner that his fence was too flimsy to hold the dogs. "We had an argument about it just last week," Hernandez said. "He could have prevented this," he said. Wayne County prosecutors charged Pierre Cleveland, 33, with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and possessing dangerous animals causing a person's death. A jury found Cleveland not guilty on all counts. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 19, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull/Pit bull-mixes (3) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Adrieanna O'Shea, 19-years old, was brutally attacked by a pack of dogs. She died while hospitalized one week later. On August 23, at 1:52 pm, the Knox County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence in the 6500 block of Crescent Drive. A witness told deputies O'Shea had come to her home to pick up her purse, after leaving it there the night before. The witness said she heard O'Shea say "No Boscoe!" then began screaming, "Help me!" The witness ran to her door and saw "all five dogs attacking" O'Shea. Deputies shot and killed one of the dogs. The landlord and owner of the dogs, Rodnee Herald, lives in a mobile home adjacent to the witness. When Herald arrived at the scene, she told deputies "the dogs were doing their jobs." She described the dogs as one male mastiff, two male mastiff-mixes, one male rottweiler-mix and one female pit bull. An electrical fence that was not buried contained the dogs. Herald called the attack a "freak accident" and surrendered her four remaining dogs to be put down. No criminal charges were brought against Herald. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 30, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Mastiff, mastiff-mix (3) Rottweiler-mix (1) Pit bull (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Landlord |
| Spay/Neuter: | Mixed | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Arlene Renna, 67-years old, was killed by her two coonhounds. New York State Police and Pleasant Valley Fire Department EMS were dispatched to the 100 block of Barkit Kennel Road around 4:00 pm for a report of a woman with life-threatening injuries. Renna was found unconscious on the living room floor of her home by her husband after he arrived home. Dispatch logs from Southern Dutchess County Fire Departments and DC911 stated this was a "priority 1" call and that "CPR is in progress." Renna died at the scene from her injuries. The investigation by New York State Police determined the wounds and circumstances were "consistent with a dog attack." The Dutchess County Medical Examiner and the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office also responded to the scene to assist with the investigation. Police did not release identification photographs of the dogs. A 2012 photograph of her husband with a redbone coonhound was located by our nonprofit on her daughter's Facebook page. Her obituary stated she had "seven dogs" at the time of her death. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 7, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Coonhound (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Baby "Doug" Doe, 13-months old, was killed by a family pit bull while under the care of a babysitter. Placer County sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 4700 block of Olive Ranch Road just after 3:00 pm. The attack occurred in the living room of the home and was unprovoked, according to the sheriff's department. The child was under the care of a female relative who was in "very close proximity" with the child when the dog attacked. The babysitter was able to get the boy away from the dog and called 911. The baby was rushed to Sutter Roseville Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. "The adult was with the baby when the attack occurred and didn't appear to hint at anything that the attack was coming," said Sheriff's Lieutenant Andrew Scott. Placer County Animal Control took the 6-year old female pit bull into custody. In July of 2015, the baby's parents created an Instagram page for their female pit bull named "Bella." Other social media pages show the parents had raised Bella from a puppy starting in 2013. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 20, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Alan Bruce, 56-years old, was brutally attacked by three dogs while trying to visit an acquaintance. On September 28, around 2:00 pm, Bruce walked toward a home in the 400 block of Nail Street. The homeowner, who also owned the dogs, was away at the time. Bruce was not found until an hour later. Arriving officers shot and killed one of the dogs, causing the other two to flee. "He had severe trauma, bite marks to his trunk and head and arms with just massive trauma," Bennington Police Chief James Heil said. "It was the most gruesome thing I've ever seen in 18 years of law enforcement." Bruce was driven to AllianceHealth in Durant then airlifted to a hospital in Plano, where he died of his injuries two days later. The culprit dogs, three pit bulls, belong to Michael Don Wright. The dogs had gotten loose two days earlier and attacked a 15-year old boy. Two months earlier, the dogs had gotten loose and attacked a 12-year old girl, sending her to an emergency room. In June of 2020, Michael Wright was charged with second-degree manslaughter. He was found not guilty. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 30, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Acquaintance |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Morgan Crayton, 31-years old, was attacked in the throat by her pit bull and died as a result of her injuries the next day. On September 29, at 5:13 pm, emergency responders were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Powhatan Parkway for a report of an animal bite. Arriving officers discovered an injured female, who had been attacked by her own dog. "The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries," states a release issued by the Hampton Police Department. Crayton was in her backyard with multiple dogs when the attack occurred. A 68-year old family member was also attacked by the dog while trying to render first aid to Crayton. The attacking dog, a 92-pound male pit bull named "Chopper," was taken into custody by Hampton Animal Control. Police estimated the dog was at least 2-years old. George Thomas, who lives across the street, said that Crayton and her partner had owned the dog for about nine months. Crayton had been treated for a dog bite wound one day before the fatal mauling, inflicted by a different family dog. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 30, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Steven Thornton III, 3-years old, was killed by two rottweilers that were kept in his family's backyard. Police said the boy climbed through an open bedroom window while the rest of his family slept. After Steven got outside during the overnight hours, the dogs in the backyard attacked him, according to Lieutenant Emily McKinley of Louisville Metro Police's homicide unit. Police did not say when his parents found him, but officers were dispatched to the family's home in the 4800 block of Brenda Drive just after 9:00 am. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office determined the cause of death was "injuries consistent with dog attack." Authorities confiscated both rottweilers. Louisville Metro Animal Services spokeswoman Teeya Barnes said LMAS would not release a photo of the dogs or provide comment "out of respect for the victim and the grieving family." Sylvia Turner, who lives next door and knows the family, indicated the dogs had not been at the family's home for long. No criminal charges were filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 1, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler-mix (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male/Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Dustin Bryan, 21-years old, was discovered dead, covered in blood while visiting a family member's home. Modesto police officers responded to a residence in the 100 block of Village Road just after 7:00 am. Bryan had stayed the night at the home and had slept on the couch. When family members awoke the next morning, they found Bryan bleeding and unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators believe two family pit bull terriers belonging to the owner of the home attacked Bryan in the upper body, killing him. The Modesto Police Department Animal Control Unit took both dogs into custody, a 13-year old pit bull named "Beze" and a 5-year old pit bull named "Saxon." Jacob Anderson, who lives at the residence, said he did not hear any noises indicating an attack. He also said the dogs did not have a history of aggression, but neighbors disagreed. Bryan had been a frequent visitor to the home and presumably had been around the dogs before, police said. The Stanislaus County Coroner's office will determine the official cause of death. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 8, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male/Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Family member |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Benjamin Cobb, 4-years old, was brutally killed by a pit bull being housed at his home. The attack occurred inside a home in the 500 block of East Woodruff Avenue at approximately 6:45 pm. The child's mother was in the room when the 60-pound dog attacked. She tried to fight the dog off by stabbing it with scissors then a steak knife. When police arrived, the pit bull was still "actively attacking" the boy. Officers fired Tasers at the dog. The pit bull then bolted from the home and was spotted by a resident about a mile away; it was captured and euthanized. Hazel Park Police Chief Brian Buchholz said the mauling was a "sudden attack." The Oakland County Medical Examiner's office said the boy suffered blunt force trauma to the neck, a perforated neck artery and possible asphyxiation from the dog biting his neck. The male pit bull, "Bolo," had been in the family's home for less than one day before the violent attack. The mother had agreed to keep the dog on behalf of acquaintances who could no longer keep it while a permanent owner was found. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 29, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Family friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Brandy Boschen-O'Dell, 41-years old, died after she was attacked by her boyfriend's pit bull. On November 1, just before 3:00 pm, Bay City police officers were dispatched to a home in the 3200 block of Westshore Drive in the Westshore Estates Mobile Home Park. Upon arrival, officers discovered O'Dell deceased in the home. O'Dell's live-in boyfriend made the 911 call after coming home and finding her, Bay City Public Safety Capt. Caleb Rowell said. O'Dell had been alone with the dogs for less than a day, Rowell said. The Bay County Medical Examiner's office determined her death "was caused from several bites made by one or more dogs that were pets." Two pit bulls and a chihuahua were seized from the home. The chihuahua was later returned to the owner. Craig Goulet, supervisor of Bay County Animal Services and Adoption Center, confirmed that both dogs taken into custody were pit bulls. Police later clarified that only one of the pit bulls inflicted the lethal attack, a male named "Chester," which her boyfriend said had bitten the victim in the past. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 1, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Boyfriend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Mary Matthews, 49-years old, was killed by a pair of rescue great danes. Around 2:30 pm, Clearcreek Township Police were dispatched to a home in the 7400 block of Waterway Drive after a report of a possible overdose. Matthews was found lying on the bathroom floor unresponsive. Her husband, Dale, and his son discovered her body. Earlier that day, Dale had been released from the Warren County Jail. Police found bloodstains in many of the rooms and a pair of torn up bloodstained sweatpants were located near the living room couch. Police found a chunk of flesh on the couch too. Numerous beer cans and medication bottles littered the home. Two male great danes were outside on an enclosed deck. Coroner Doyle Burke said an autopsy showed the "cause of death is dog attack." Though Matthews was eventually able to get the dogs outside, she "may not have been in a clear-minded state to judge the severity of her situation and thus failed to call for help," police said. The dogs had bitten the victim and others in the past. Both dogs were euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 1, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Great dane (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes/Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Janet D'Aleo, 95-years old, was killed by a pit bull owned by Annie Hornish, the Connecticut state director of the Humane Society of the United States. Officers were dispatched to 584 Thrall Avenue around 3:15 pm and found D'Aleo with life-threatening injuries. She was taken to Baystate Medical Center, where she died. D'Aleo had gone to the home to visit Hornish's mother. Hornish was not present during the attack, but claimed to know what happened. "[The dog] jumped on a friend with a walker and she fell backward and we believe that's what killed her," Hornish claimed. D'Aloe sustained "massive injuries including flesh, muscle and tendon loss to the lower extremities," the Suffield Police Department said. Under the Ian Dunbar Bite Scale, police designated the bite a level six, a bite causing death. The autopsy report states that D'Aleo died due to "multiple blunt and sharp force injuries" caused by dog attack. Hornish had acquired "Dexter" four months earlier. In 2025, after years of legal wrangling, Dexter was court-ordered to be euthanized again. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 6, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | HSUS director |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Lasaro Macedo, 38-years old, was found dead in a dry riverbed with multiple dog bite injuries, according to the Madera Police Department. Around 7:00 am, officers found his body near a homeless encampment in the 1400 block of East Yosemite. There were "significant wounds" to Macedo's face and neck area, said Sgt. Mark Trukki, including being left unrecognizable due to the trauma. Officers shot and killed a "vicious" pit bull with blood on its face at the scene. Another pit bull was also seized at the scene. An autopsy ruled that Macedo died as a result of injuries he sustained during a dog attack. Police called on the public to help find 34-year old Heather Anglin, the owner of the pit bulls and a transient often seen on the banks of the riverbed. Anglin and her pit bulls had been involved in multiple attack cases previously. The primary attacker that was shot by police, a white male pit bull, had been neutered, according to animal control. On December 30, Anglin was charged with involuntary manslaughter. After a plea deal, she was sentenced to three years in prison. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 11, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Transient |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Lorena Cordova, 47-years old, died after suffering a vicious attack by three pit bulls. The attack occurred in the 3000 block of Luther Wages Road on the morning of September 16 in Dracula, Georgia. Cordova was transported to Gwinnett Medical Center then transferred to Grady's Marcus Trauma Center, where she succumbed to her injuries on November 21. A GoFundMe created by a family friend said she suffered "considerable muscle and nerve damage in all of her limbs." In an October 13 update, the fund reported that her kidneys were failing and she had bacterial and fungal infections in her blood and skin. By November 6, Cordova continued to be in the ICU "fighting for her life." Her daughter, Ingrid Alvarado, 23, found her bleeding out on the pavement that morning. "[The dogs] already had mauled her completely and there [were] chunks missing of her body." Her family said the dogs had attacked people and pets in the past. The owner of the dogs, David Clark, was charged with felony manslaughter and reckless conduct. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 21, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male 2/Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No 2/Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Victor Garces, 12-years old, was killed by two pit bulls while walking home from school alone. The attack happened around 12:30 pm in an alley between West Hollis Street and Jones Street. Harmon Electric employees discovered the boy's body and contacted police. Officers shot and killed both dogs at the scene. A third dog at the scene belonged to the victim. Amanda Perez, one of Victor's great aunts, said the dogs "didn't just kill him, they were practically eating him." Five days after his death, Jacob Benavidez, 53, and Ruben Benavidez, 44, were arrested on charges of second-degree manslaughter and cruelty to animals, District Attorney David Thomas announced. Authorities allege the two men, who are brothers, owned the dogs. Both will be tried in the Harmon County District Court. Thomas praised police efforts to help solve the case. "They have worked very hard to solve this case and help begin the process of seeking justice for the Garces family." In 2021, Ruben pleaded guilty to both charges and his brother was found guilty by a jury. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 13, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Relatives |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Cledith Davenport, 79-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs, along with his pet schnauzer. The man was discovered in the 700 block of Canoe Road. McCurtain County deputies were dispatched to the scene around 12:52 pm after a mail carrier saw Davenport lying halfway in a ditch on his property. Upon arrival, deputies observed the man was "severely bloodied" and had sustained significant injuries. The carrier told deputies she saw the dogs "chewing on him." After she called 911, she drove to the dog owner's home and spoke to him. While deputies were at the scene, a cattle dog-mix approached them barking. Next, a pack of 8 to 10 similar dogs sprinted up the driveway. Several of the dogs had blood-stained fur on their chests, feet and snouts, deputies said. The owner's Facebook page showed multiple adult dogs -- part pit bull and part cattle dog -- and at least two litters since September 2018. Eight dogs were taken into custody. The medical examiner's office determined his cause of death was due to the dogs. A judge ordered the dogs be destroyed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 14, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-cattle dog mix (2+) Cattle dog-pit bull mix (2+) Mixed-breed (2+) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Melissa Astacio, 44-years old, was mauled to death by her pet pit bull of eight years. Officers from the Somerset Police Department were dispatched to a residence in the 200 block of Lees River Avenue around 5:20 pm for a report of a dog attack. According to a press release from the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, Astacio's daughter called 911 and said her mother was having a seizure when the dog attacked her. Somerset police were forced to deploy a Taser on the dog so that paramedics could assist the victim. A male neighbor told WJAR that first responders carried the woman from her home over their shoulders. "They did not wait for a stretcher or anything ... she was bleeding pretty bad," he said. Astacio was transported to a Rhode Island hospital where she was pronounced dead. Astacio had raised the male pit bull "Amigo" from a puppy. The dog was taken into custody by Swansea Animal Rescue and placed in quarantine. She suffered epilepsy for decades, her family said. The dog had never acted violently to any other seizure she had. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 20, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Medessa Ragsdale, 44-years old, was discovered dead in a ditch after being mauled by three pit bulls. The attack occurred in the 5500 block of Arlington Street. The Houston Police Department first received a call from a man saying that dogs had attacked his wife at 5:48 am. The 49-year old female was transported to a local hospital in stable condition. Minutes later, police received a call from the owner of the dogs, who reported his dogs had attacked a woman and she was lying in a ditch, possibly dead. That victim, Medessa Ragsdale, was pronounced dead at the scene. The two women were not walking together at the time of the attack, according to police. In an unrelated attack, across the street from where Ragsdale was found, was a dead dog lying in a ditch -- it had been there for days. Neighbors said the three pit bulls had a history of violence, including previously attacking their owner and a home invasion attack on a neighbor a few years ago. All three pit bulls were taken into custody. The case was referred to a Harris County grand jury. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 21, 2019 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male/Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2019 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Deaths involving minor dog bite injury, dog-related caused injury (killed by a car while fleeing a dog) and cases that lacked a "reasonably clear" determination of death after dog bite injury are not included in our fatality statistical data. Deaths involving fatal non-bite injury (struck by dog death) or deaths due to untreated severe dog bites (sepsis) may be added to our statistical data at a future time.
Fatal Pit Bull Attacks: An archive of U.S. fatal pit bull maulings from 1833 to December 2024, maintained by DogsBite.org.
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