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.
| 2007 fatal dog attacks by breed |
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In 2007, 4 dog bite fatalities involved canines from 2 or more different breeds, thus producing a death count total of 38, rather than 34. Six dog breeds each contributed to 1 death: doberman pinscher, golden retriever, husky, mastiff-mix, Welsh corgi and wolf-dog hybrid.
Amber Jones, 10-years old, was killed by a neighbor's pit bull. The attack occurred in the 700 block of Topeka Boulevard. She had been practicing cheerleading moves in her backyard that afternoon when she noticed the neighbor's pit bull try to jump over the fence, but got caught on the chain-link fence. This had happened before. When Amber went to help the dog this time, the animal attacked, biting her in the neck and stomach. Her mother heard her daughter's screams and rushed into the backyard. An unknown man also rushed in and got the dog away from the mother and daughter. Amber was airlifted to University Hospital, where she died at about 6:30 pm. San Antonio Animal Care Services took the unneutered pit bull into custody. The child's father, Robert Jones, said the family who owns the dog did not contact his family to express sorrow for what happened. The dog's owner, Jesse Banda, 29, told a media outlet that his dog "Chuey" had played well with toddlers before. He didn't know why the dog "suddenly snapped." The dog was euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 12, 2007 | Chained: | Undetermined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Linda Mittino, 69-years old, was killed by her family's German shepherd. St. Louis County police officers were called to her residence in the 8900 block of Arvin Place at 10:30 am to investigate a suspicious death. Mittino was discovered face down on the floor in her bedroom. Her family believes she was attacked overnight, while they were sleeping. The same dog, "Bear," had attacked her three months earlier, requiring a long hospital stay and plastic surgery. But Mittino thought the dog deserved another chance. The dog belongs to her son Joe Mittino, who lives with Mittino and her wheelchair bound husband. Bear's registered name is Baron von Valentine. He was the seventh German shepherd the family had kept as a pet over the years. Mittino also kept a greyhound and eight cats. Joe's sister, Lisa Boenzle, said the dog attacked her husband last year. He sustained serious bite injuries and went to a hospital for treatment. "The dog needed to be put down after the first attack," she said. St. Louis County Animal Control took the German shepherd into custody. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 15, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | German shepherd | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Son |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Matthew Johnson, 6-years old, was fatally attacked by two rottweilers. The attack occurred just before 5:00 pm in the 9000 block of Penguin Road. The boy was transported to VCU Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Henrico police said. Authorities seized seven rottweilers from the home, but only two were involved in the attack. Both rottweilers, ages 2 and 4, were female and had been purchased by his family just four days earlier from a Massachusetts dog breeder on Puppyfind.com. The boy's father, Paul Johnson, surrendered both for euthanasia. He also agreed to "give up" his other five "award winning" rottweilers, as this would be akin to keeping a loaded gun in the house after one of his boys accidentally shot his brother. According to Johnson, all of the dogs were housed in individual crates inside the home. He'd just let the new pair, Ava and Kenya, into the backyard to relive themselves. Unnoticed, Matthew slipped into the backyard where he encountered the lethal dogs. By the time Johnson realized Matthew was missing, it was too late. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 24, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Taylor Kitlica, 18-months old, was killed by a chained rottweiler. Escambia County Sheriff's Major Mike Murphy said deputies were dispatched to the child's home in the 2000 block McGougin Road at approximately 5:00 pm Sunday. Deputies found the two injured children at the home. The large male dog was still chained nearby. Murphy identified the victim as Taylor Kitlica. Her two-and-half year old brother was injured, but survived with minor injuries. Murphy said Taylor suffered "massive head injuries." Investigators said her family found the male rottweiler roaming the neighborhood that morning. In hopes its owner would see it, they chained it in their front yard. The Kitlicas own a female rottweiler that was tethered a few feet from the male. Two pit bulls, also belonging to the family, were in the yard when deputies arrived. At the time of the attack, the father was working on a vehicle in the yard just feet from where the male dog was chained. The dog was unneutered and unsocialized, according to Renee Jones, the director of the Escambia County Humane Society. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 28, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Unreleased |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Robynn Banks, 2-years old, of Lithonia, was mauled to death by two dogs while visiting a relative's home in Stonecrest. At approximately 2:50 pm, the DeKalb County Police Department was notified that a 2-year old girl was found dead outside of a fence of a backyard on Zinzendorf Drive in an area off Snapfinger Road in southeast DeKalb. Police said the dogs, a pit bull-mix and a mastiff-mix -- also described as a boxer-bullmastiff mix -- escaped from a fenced-in area at a home Banks was visiting. Police continue to investigate how the dogs got outside the fence and whether any adults were with the child at the time. "We are checking to see whether any animal services or neglect issues may have contributed to the case," Police spokesperson Michael Payne said. DeKalb County Animal Control officers took custody of both dogs. The animals were euthanized and their bodies were sent to the University of Georgia for examination, according to a spokesperson for the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office. No criminal charges were filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 16, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (1) Mastiff-mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Relative |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Pamela Rushing, 50-years old, was killed by her own dogs. Landscapers found her body around 5:45 pm in the backyard of her home in the 300 block of Meadow Trail Court. They saw her lying in a pool of blood in her patio area, but they could not enter the yard due to three aggressive dogs. A Friendswood police officer shot and killed one of the dogs, a pit bull-mix, after it charged him. The other two dogs, a golden retriever and Australian shepherd, were captured. Friendswood Animal Control took custody of both dogs. The Galveston County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the cause of death "dog attack." Police said Rushing had been dead for about four hours before being located. Police determined the pit bull-mix -- also described as catahoula-bulldog mix4 -- was the primary attacker. The dog "Cowboy," had belonged to Rushing's mother. After she died earlier this year, Rushing took over the care of the dog. The golden retriever was declared vicious and put down. At least one of the bites found on Rushing's body matched that dog, a report showed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 17, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (1) Golden retreiver (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Carolina Sotelo, 2-years old, was killed by her family's pit bull. The attack occurred outside her home in the 2200 block of Bois D'Arc Road in Combine, a town that lies on the Dallas-Kaufman county line. About 3:45 pm, after receiving a 911 call, the Dallas County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. Neighbors said the father told paramedics he was using the weed trimmer while his daughter rode her tricycle. The family's male pit bull was chained nearby. All of a sudden, Sotelo was on the ground, and she and the dog were covered in blood. Witnesses said the first officer on the scene, Combine Senior Patrol Officer Michael Henderson, was so shaken, he spent much of the afternoon crying. Pro Tem Paul Norman called her death a "tragedy." Norman used to own a pit bull but said he never would again because "they're basically insane." The Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office said Sotelo's injuries included a neck fracture. Officers transported the dog to the Balch Springs animal shelter. The family also owned a female pit bull and a litter of puppies. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 22, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Brian Palmer, 1-year old, was killed by a family pit bull. On April 23, Dorchester County sheriff's deputies responded to an apartment on Hunter's Ridge Lane after a pit bull escaped a laundry room and attacked a baby. The boy died the next day at Medical University Hospital from bite wounds to his neck and airway. Police said the dog had previously killed a cat and attacked other dogs. After escaping the laundry room, the dog chased a teenager to an upstairs bedroom, then latched onto the baby's neck. The child's mother, Natasha Wilson, was charged with felony unlawful conduct toward a child. The Department of Social Services had long interacted with Wilson's family before the fatal mauling. On the day of the attack, there were four other children in the home, ranging from 2 to 16 years old unsupervised. Wilson left the baby under their care to see about some rental housing. The conduct of leaving the baby in the care of minors continued after repeated visits by DSS. Wilson had taken in the 2-year old pit bull, "Princess," as a stray about seven months earlier. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 24, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Mother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Celestino Rangel, 90-years old, was killed by two pit bulls while he slept. The attack occurred in the 1900 block of West Ashby Place. The owner of the pit bulls, Sarah Green, is a relative who started living at the Rangel home. Around 11:30 pm, Green secured her two pit bulls, "Captain" and "Dookie," in the backyard before leaving to go to Walmart. Rangel was sleeping in his room. Rangel's caregiver, Alejandra Haynes, arrived an hour later with her daughter and witnessed the grisly scene. Rangel was lying blood-soaked in the living room, and the dogs were blood-soaked behind him. When San Antonio firefighters arrived, they opened the back door, and the dogs ran out, allowing them to reach Rangel. The dogs had dragged Rangel from his bedroom, ripping and tearing his flesh, then mauling him in the living room. Blood was everywhere. "This is the worst I've seen in my career," acting Lieutenant Robert Jacinto of the San Antonio Fire Department said. Green later told police her pit bulls knew how to open the back door. Rangel died at University Hospital on May 18. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 18, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Relative |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Magdelena Silva, 95-years old, was killed by at least one of her two dogs. El Paso police responded to an animal bite call at a residence in the 300 block of Arvin Circle at approximately 8:30 am. Officers found the victim deceased at the scene. According to family members, Silva was doing chores outside of her Lower Valley home when the dogs attacked. Police believe both male dogs, a doberman pinscher named "Canelo" and German shepherd named "Rocky," attacked Silva when she went to feed the animals. Silva's daughter, Yolanda Jacquez, 68, heard her mother scream and rushed outside and found her on the ground being bitten by Canelo. The dog also bit Jacquez on the right side, requiring treatment at Del Sol Medical Center. El Paso animal control took the dogs into custody. A spokeswoman for the El Paso City-County Health and Environmental District confirmed both dogs were euthanized four days after the attack. Family members said the two dogs had been with the family for eight to 10 years and that only Canelo was involved in the attack. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 25, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Doberman pinscher (1) German shepherd (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Carshena Benjamin, 71-years old, was killed by dogs near her Golden Gate Estates home. The Collier County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) found her badly mutilated body face down in a ditch on the side of the street after she failed to return from her morning walk. A detective confirmed the location near 1960 Jung Boulevard East after calling her cell phone, which rang next to her body. The Medical Examiner's Office ruled the cause of death as fatal injuries inflicted by dog bites. Neighbors suspected several dogs, leading investigators to focus on three dogs that had returned to a house across the street covered in blood the morning of the attack. The dogs included two pit bull-boxer mixes, PiePie and Sierra, owned by resident Shirley Fay Newell, and a Welsh corgi named Corky. The neighbor's dogs were then secretly driven far away from Collier County. CCSO acknowledged that one of the dogs, PiePie, previously killed a cat. The investigation was ultimately closed with no one charged, as the State Attorney's Office determined "no crime was committed." [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 25, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-boxer mix (2) Welsh corgi (1) |
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 |
Dandre Fisher, 3-years old, was killed by his neighbor's two dogs. The attack occurred in the New Gannam housing area of Hunter Army Airfield. Dandre's mother, Nina Negron, and Dandre were visiting a friend when her son briefly left her sight. She went outside and found her son in the neighbor's fenced backyard being mauled by two dogs. Negron saw her son "being dragged by a dog", she was "screaming for someone to help." The dogs were identified as two pit bulls -- a pit bull and a pit bull-mix. Dandre was rushed to a hospital, where he died of "significant blood loss." Military investigators declined to press criminal charges against the owner, citing lack of evidence, because they believed Dandre climbed the chain-link fence into the yard. Negron disputes this, saying her son likely climbed "partially up the fence before being snatched by one of the dogs." The dogs' owner, an adult female who was not publicly identified, was in violation of Army housing rules that limit the number of dogs per household to two. Both dogs were subsequently euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 26, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Property Owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Phyllis Carroll, 63-years old, was killed by one of her two dogs. Fayette County Coroner Joe Todd said Carroll was feeding her two black chow-mix dogs some treats around 7:30 pm when one of them attacked her. Carroll kept the two dogs -- a male and female littermate pair, each a year old -- in a yard behind her home in the 2200 block of Western Avenue. There were no witnesses to the attack, but police believe the larger male dog was the perpetrator. The canine grabbed onto Carroll's arm as she carried treats out from the house, then pulled her to the ground and bit her throat. Eight sets of bite marks were found on her body, Todd said. She bled to death from her wounds. A neighbor on a balcony saw her lifeless body below and called out to other neighbors for help. Bill DeMoss tried to, but it was already too late. Fayette County animal control took both dogs into custody. The dogs, which were a gift from a family member, were euthanized at the family's request. Friends said Carroll had grown increasingly concerned about the dogs' aggressive behavior. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 17, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Chow-mix | 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 |
Mary Bernal, 63-years old, was killed by her brother-in-law's pit bull. Volusia County sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call at 9:00 am to a home in the 1600 block of Roble Lane. When deputies arrived, the pit bull was still actively attacking Bernal. Deputies were forced to Tase the dog to get it to release. "He was dragging her, and all her scalp was hanging by her side. He wouldn't turn her loose," said her husband, Rudy Bernal. She was flown by helicopter to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach. Her sister, Estela Macias, was also injured in the attack and required hospital treatment. The dog "tore off all of her thumbs," Rudy said. The Bernals, who live in Texas, had been staying with Bernal's sister for about a month. Bernal was attempting to pick up her pet dachshund in the backyard when the intact male pit bull, "Taz," attacked her. There were nine dogs in the house, including a pregnant pit bull. The dog's owner, Eliasar Macias, said he raised the dog from puppyhood. "I don't really know what happened today," he said. Authorities euthanized the dog. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 29, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Brother-in-law |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Tiffany Pauley, 5-years old, was killed by a neighbor's chained dog. She was last seen alive at 6:45 am, when her father left for work. Her mother called 911 to report her missing just before 11:00 am. Carroll County sheriff's deputies found the child dead at 1:00 pm in a neighbor's unfenced yard three houses from her home on Cypress Circle. The investigation indicated Tiffany, who had Down Syndrome, wandered up to a chained rottweiler and was killed, Chief Deputy Brad Robinson with the Carroll County Sheriff's Office said. Three chained dogs were taken into custody, but only the rottweiler could reach the girl. The dogs' owner is unlikely to face charges, as the dogs were "properly restrained on long chains." The victim's mother, Florence Pauley, 41, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and misdemeanor reckless conduct. "She’s admitted with her own admission to using methamphetamine and purchasing methamphetamine at 3:30 am the morning that her child was killed. I think that plays a major factor in this case as far as reckless conduct," Robinson said. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 12, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Trey Paeth, 11-months old, was killed by two dogs while taking a nap. The attack occurred at the home of Allen McCaffrey in the 2300 block of Sun Valley Circle around 4:30 pm, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said. Trey was in a portable playpen in a bedroom sleeping when McCaffrey's two Siberian huskies bit through the siding and attacked the boy. "The playpen was still up, and there were small holes in the screen around it and blood on those holes," Deputy Bill Hunter, an animal control officer, said. Trey's mother and McCaffrey's wife were watching their other children, who were outside playing in the pool, and periodically checking on the baby. When his mother checked again, she found him injured and not breathing. Paramedics rushed the baby to Cookeville Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from multiple bite wounds. The two huskies, a male and female, had no history of aggression. "The situation did not appear to be criminal in nature," acting District Attorney General Tony Craighead told detectives. Both dogs were destroyed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 23, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Husky (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Saben Jones-Abbott, 6-years old, was killed by his father's pit bull. Steuben County sheriff's deputies received a call around 11:30 am for an unresponsive child at 6943 East William Street Extension. The boy was last seen outside feeding a 6-month old pit bull-boxer mix his father, William Abbott, had recently acquired. Fifteen minutes later, Abbott found him unconscious and injured near the dog, which was chained. Kim Bennage, a neighbor, said the dogs was aggressive: "He was very scary. The dog would run to the end of its chain and try to get off its chain to get to you." Investigators, however, were not aware of previous aggression reports. Jones-Abbott was transported to Ira Davenport Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His body was sent to the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy. The dog was euthanized at the request of his father. William Abbott, 33, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, after police stated he had been previously warned about properly supervising his child around the dog. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 29, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Father |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes (MISD) |
Zachary King Jr., 7-years old, was killed by a family pit bull. The attack occurred around 1:00 pm in the basement of the child's home in the 3500 block of Humboldt Avenue North, the Minneapolis Police Department said. The boy, who was about to enter second grade, may have gone to the basement to see the new puppies. The adult male pit bull, which was chained to a pole, latched on the boy's throat. The victim's sister discovered him badly bitten and alerted their father. Zachary King Sr., tried to save his son but was severely bitten on the arm by the dog. The father then retrieved a gun and shot the dog to death. The boy was pronounced dead at North Memorial Medical Center. Authorities took six other pit bulls, including a female and five puppies, from the residence. The male pit bull "Face" had a history of biting in 2005 and 2006, leading to a prior warning from Animal Care & Control. King was charged with second-degree manslaughter but was acquitted by a judge who stated prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that King Sr. was culpable. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 16, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Father |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Elijah Rackley, 15-months old, was killed by a chained dog. the McMinn County Sheriff's Office investigated the boy's death. According to the child's grandmother, Susan Anders, Elijah was playing in the backyard, but in a "split second," everything went wrong. The grandfather, Bobby Anders, had recently taken in a stray female chow-mix with puppies -- he kept the mother dog, "Ariel," chained to a doghouse. Elijah picked up one of her puppies about 15 feet away from the doghouse, while his grandfather was watching him. When Bobby turned away to grab some boxes, the boy moved closer to the doghouse, entering into the chain's "death radius." The mother dog latched onto the back of his neck and severed an artery. When Bobby returned, the boy had vanished. He finally found him lifeless in a hole the dog scratched in the ground. Paramedics rushed the boy to T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital, but he could not be revived. The Department of Children's Services also opened an investigation into his death. Ariel and her puppies were euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 18, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Chow-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Grandfather |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Scott Warren, 6-years old, was killed by his pet pit bull. The attack occurred around 6:00 pm in the 1900 block of Prichard Lane, Dallas police Sergeant Gil Cerda said. The child died while being transported to Baylor University Medical Center. At the time of the attack, his mother was outside, Cerda said. "When the mother came inside the house, she saw the dog attacking the 6-year old and tried to restrain the dog," Cerda said. Scott was inside watching television with his 13-year old sister, Ashley, when his pit bull, "Tippy," leapt off the floor and attacked him. Ashley screamed and their mother rushed inside. "It took her 10 minutes to get the dog off him," said Joe Warren, Scott's grandfather who lives with the family. The victim had raised the 1-year old dog since it was 4-weeks old. Relatives said the dog had never shown aggression before. Neighbors said the dog was involved in a fight with another dog a few weeks earlier. The family had only been living in the home for four months. Dallas Animal Control took custody of the dog. It was later euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 31, 2007 | 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 |
Kylie Cox, 4-months old, was killed by a rottweiler. The attack occurred around 5:45 pm in the 3700 block of Toepfer Road, Warren police said. The child's mother, Alexis Cox, 17, and a friend, arrived at the home where a dozen teenagers and young adults were hanging out. Cox set the car seat down on the floor with Kylie in it and stepped away to warm a bottle. The mother's friend had just unbuckled the child when "the dog came right over her shoulder," detective Sergeant Heidi Metz said. The rottweiler latched onto her head. Several people tackled the dog. The baby was taken to St. John Oakland Hospital in Madison Heights, where she died at 7:03 pm. The dog "Chopper" was under the care of two stepbrothers, Christopher Fura, 19, and Jason Winters, 22, who acquired the dog 10 days earlier. "These two brought the dog to this house, knowing it had shown aggressive tendencies in the past," said Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith. Both were charged involuntary manslaughter and second-degree child abuse. Each pleaded no contest to modified charges. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 12, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Boyfriend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Cheryl Harper, 56-years old, was killed by a pack of American bulldog-mixes while taking a walk. The dogs also killed 91-year old Edward Gierlach in the front of his home. Michigan State Police were called to the area of Crofoot and Elliot roads around 3:00 pm after a 911 call. Gierlach was found dead in the driveway of his vacation home on Crofoot Road. Harper, of Elliot Road, was found barely alive about 150 yards west of his home. Witnesses said that Harper was still alive when they discovered her lying in the road. Harper spoke to her husband an hour earlier. The victims were not related. Authorities seized a pack of 10 American bulldog-mixes, each about 75-80 pounds, from the farm of Diane Cockrell at 10225 Crofoot Road. At least four dogs were involved in both attacks. Investigators said the dogs had dug out of Cockrell's property before. Livingston County prosecutors charged Cockrell with two counts of felony possession of dangerous animals causing death. Cockrell later pleaded no contest. She was sentenced to a minimum of 3.5 years in jail. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 13, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | American bulldog-mix (4) | 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 |
Edward Gierlach, 91-years old, was killed by a pack of American bulldog-mixes in front of his home. The dogs also killed 56-year old Cheryl Harper about 150 feet away. Michigan State Police were called to the area of Crofoot and Elliot roads around 3:00 pm after a 911 call from Edward's son, Eugene Gierlach, who found his father's body lying in the family's driveway, stripped of clothing and covered with bite marks. He said his father's body was missing flesh on his leg, including a portion that was "just bone." He then saw what appeared to be a "pile of debris" in the road, which turned out to be the body of Harper. Authorities seized a pack of 10 American bulldog-mixes from the farm of Diane Cockrell at 10225 Crofoot Road. At least four dogs were involved in both attacks. Investigators said the dogs had dug out of Cockrell's property before. Livingston County prosecutors charged Cockrell with two counts of felony possession of dangerous animals causing death. Cockrell later pleaded no contest. She was sentenced to a minimum of 3.5 years in jail. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 13, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | American bulldog (4) | 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 |
Karson Gilroy, 2-years old, was killed by a chained dog. The boy was staying at his grandfather's house under the care of his aunt when he wandered away and encountered two male German shepherd-mixes. Multiple agencies responded to the 1500 block of Atlantic Lane after a 911 call reported the boy missing, authorities said. Deputies found him an hour later, around 6:00 pm, behind a neighbor's home near the chained dogs. "The officers were simply devastated by what they found," said Larry Seagle, spokesman for the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. An autopsy determined the cause of death was hemorrhaging. He sustained injuries consistent with dog bites around the neck and scalp. There were also tearing injuries due to the chain and claw marks. He became tangled in the chain and was mauled, police said. Only one of the dogs -- the smaller German shepherd, "Babebay" -- was the perpetrator. The other dog, "Buddy" was returned to its owner, Wayne Oliver. Oliver arrived home that day around 5:00 pm, as family members were searching for Gilroy. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 25, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | German shepherd | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Tina Canterbury, 42-years old, was killed by her two pit bulls. The attack occurred around 8:15 am in the 2400 block of Cosmos Avenue, the Clay County Sheriff's Office said. Canterbury went to tend to her dogs in the backyard of her home when the dogs attacked her. One of Canterbury's sons tried to save her, but the dogs attacked him, biting his throat. "We have two full-blooded red-nosed pits and they just attacked our mom," a second son is heard saying on one of the 911 calls. "We can't get to my mom and my brother just went out there and they attacked him too." A family friend at the home shot the one of the dogs wounding it, causing the other to flee. Deputies shot and killed both dogs. "These dogs had never bitten a human before, but they did today -- they did turn on their owner," Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler said. Canterbury suffered severe bite injuries to her upper body. She was dead when deputies arrived. Canterbury had raised the 2-year old male dogs, "Rebel" and "Thor," since they were puppies. Both were neutered and lived indoors. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 2, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
A 72-year old Pahrump woman, whose identity was not released by the Nye County Sheriff's Office, was killed by eight wolf-dog hybrids. The attack occurred in the 2000 block of Jayme Street on the evening of October 4. The woman was alone when she walked into her son's secure backyard where the dogs were housed. She died after being transported to Desert View Regional Medical Center. The woman had medical conditions and was living with her two sons, one of whom owned the dogs, said Tim McCarty, the director of Nye County Animal Control. The dogs were secured by double fencing -- one chain link and the other wood. There was a female dog inside the residence that was in heat, McCarty said. This could have contributed to "a heightened aroused sense" in the other dogs. One man at the home, known only as "Malcolm," would not speak to the media. Due to the high amount of blood involved, authorities euthanized all eight dogs on site. Nye County's local newspaper, The Mirror, listed the fatal wolf-dog mauling as a top news story in 2007. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 4, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Wolf-dog hybrid (8) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Son |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Rosalie Bivins, 65-years old, was killed by a pack of pit bull-mixes. The attack occurred around 11:50 am in the 10900 block of County Road 1480, Pontotoc County Undersheriff Joe Glover said. Bivins, who was using a walker, had just reached the mailbox at the end of her driveway, when at least six dogs attacked her. The 911 call came in at 12:08 pm, dispatch logs showed. A rural mail carrier came upon Bivins lying in the road with the dogs on top of her. When the carrier exited his vehicle, the dogs attacked him too. He was forced back into his vehicle. The carrier drove to a neighbor's house for help. He arrived hysterical, Dearl Newby said. "He run in to the house, just hollering,” Newby said. He grabbed his shotgun and drove to the scene. Newby fired a shot, hitting one of the dogs, the rest scattered. A third man trying to help Bivins was also bitten by the dogs. Bivins died at the scene. Rosalie's son-in-law told deputies he did not own the dogs, but fed them from time-to-time. The son-in-law hunted down and shot and killed five of the remaining dogs. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 15, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (6) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Unknown |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Tori Whitehurst, 4-years old, was killed by an American bulldog. The attack occurred just before 4:00 pm at her home in the 500 block of West Yearling Road, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said. Tori and her older sister were playing in the backyard with four dogs. A nanny watching the girls had gone inside briefly, when the dog "Kane" started to bite Tori. When the nanny returned, Kane had Tori by the throat. She tried to pry the dog's jaws open, but the dog was too vicious, police said. Arriving deputies Tased the dog after it advanced on them. Then shot the dog five times, killing it. Tori was flown to St. Joseph's Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Kane had been surrendered to the Arizona Humane Society in March. An unnamed party adopted the dog in April. Tori's family acquired Kane in June, five months earlier, from an unnamed party. "Kane was fully evaluated by three behaviorists at the AHS prior being placed up for adoption and showed no signs of arousal and no aggression whatsoever while in AHS custody," a AHS statement by said. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 5, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | American bulldog | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Seth Lovitt, 11-years old, was killed by his grandmother's pit bull. The attack occurred around 6:30 pm in the 2900 block of Fairlane Drive, Killeen police said. Seth and his brother were "running through the house yelling" when the dog leapt off the couch and latched onto Seth's neck. The boy's mother and grandmother pulled the dog off the child. He was taken to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Ft. Hood where he died. The male pit bull, "Little," had been involved in two previous biting incidents. Seth's father, Jeff Lovitt, was a soldier stationed in Korea at the time. In July 2008, Fort Hood banned pit bulls from base housing after determining that 68% of dogs declared dangerous were pit bulls. In August 2009, Brenda Ellen Parker, the boy's grandmother and dog's owner, and Misty Lovitt, the boy's mother, were charged with manslaughter and reckless serious bodily injury to a child. Parker and her dog started living at Misty's home 10 weeks before the attack. Misty and Jeff were divorced. Misty and Parker pleaded guilty to lower charges. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 6, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Grandmother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Jennifer Lowe, 21-years old, was killed by two pit bulls. After stopping for gas first, Knox County sheriff's deputies responded to 11300 Sam Lee Road at 4:13 pm. A neighbor called 911 at 3:44 pm after hearing Jennifer screaming and saw a pair of pit bulls covered in blood. Jennifer lay bleeding for nearly 30 minutes before help arrived. Incoming deputies shot both dogs, killing one and injuring the other. Jennifer died shortly after reaching the University of Tennessee Medical Center. She did not lose consciousness until her death. The dogs, "Mafia Lee" and "Passion Maria," belonged to Charles Smallwood, 25, who bred and sold their puppies. Both dogs had been declared "dangerous" by Knox County three months earlier, requiring a secure outdoor pen and outdoor muzzling or to be kept inside. Animal control had been to Smallwood's mobile home five times previously. Smallwood left Jennifer alone in the trailer with his dogs while he got something to eat. When he returned, the attack was over. Passion Marie, along with three 5-month old offspring, were euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 12, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Cora Suehead, 61-years old, was found mauled to death by dogs near her home. Her body was found around noon December 4 in a brushy area on the family's property in the 19300 block of Foresthill Road, the Placer County Sheriff's Office said. She was found about 100 yards from her home. Suehead had been missing for about a day. Her body had extensive damage caused by animals, investigators said. Placer County Animal Control removed four pit bulls belonging to a relative living on the property to undergo DNA testing. Just 16 days later, Suehead's daughter was found dead in her Auburn, California home. "I think Tammy died of a broken heart," said Bobbie Mae Thomas, a family friend from Foresthill. "She went to sleep and never woke up. I think she was stressed about what had happened to her mom." Suehead's husband, Walter Suehead, 70, died of natural causes on July 13, 2008. The four pit bulls were destroyed on February 29, 2008 after a state forensics lab confirmed the dogs attacked Suehead, sheriff's Lieutenant Jeffrey Ausnow said. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 4, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (4) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Relative |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Holden Jernigan, 2-years old, was killed by his grandmother's pit bull. The attack occurred around 10:00 am in the 100 block of Barshay Drive in Flowertown Village. "The child was deceased upon our arrival. The toddler was in the care of his grandmother," Dorchester County Sheriff Ray Nash said, who was at the scene. The boy wandered into the fenced backyard where the 40-pound male pit bull was either loose or chained; the dog was attached to a long chain when authorities arrived. The dog latched onto Holden's throat and head and inflicted fatal injuries, police said. The grandmother, Tracey Shelton, had two "Beware of Dog" signs in the front windows of her home. At the time, Shelton, was watching Holden for his parents. Autopsy results showed the boy died from puncture wounds to his jugular vein and carotid artery. Prosecutors said Shelton fell asleep while watching the child. The 1st Circuit Solicitor charged Shelton with unlawful conduct towards a child. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years suspended and 4 years’ probation. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 13, 2007 | Chained: | Unreleased |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Grandmother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Blanche Brodeur, 76-years old, was killed by her son-in-law's pit bull. The dog owner's brother found her lying face down with severe head trauma outside of her daughter's home at 36 Parker Robinson Lane. The pit bull, which was chained, would not allow him to reach Brodeur. Rabun County sheriff's officials were called to the home around 5:20 pm. Brodeur had gone to feed the dogs belonging to her daughter, JoAnn, and son-in-law, Thomas Robinson. Brodeur was taking care of their five pit bulls while the pair were in jail. The two were arrested five days earlier on drug charges. Investigator Marty Talley shot and killed the dog that attacked Brodeur 18 minutes after arriving, once Thomas gave him "permission to kill the animal from the jail." Brodeur was last seen alive at 4:45 pm. "When we got there, everybody was screaming, 'Shoot the dog. Shoot the dog,'" Investigator Tanksley said. Tanksley and Talley described a gruesome scene. The dog had clamped down onto Brodeur's neck and head. "It's probably one of the biggest pits I've seen," Tanksley said. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 17, 2007 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Son-in-law |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Kelly Caldwell, 45-years old, was mauled to death by up to three pit bulls late Christmas day. The attack occurred around 9:30 pm while Caldwell was walking near the intersection of Yermo Road and Second Street, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said. A motorist drove up during the attack and called 911. Deputies shot two dogs, both pit bulls, that lunged at emergency responders at the scene. The victim's daughter, Rhonda Dugger, said it looked like Caldwell’s legs had been run over by a car. Pieces of her body were scattered around the scene. Caldwell died at Barstow Community Hospital that night. An autopsy confirmed she died of multiple bite wounds. Eight months later, DNA test results confirmed that blood found on the two pit bulls shot by police belonged to Caldwell. In September 2008, authorities arrested Jeffrey Dwayne King, Jr., 23, and John Allan Peterson, 23, of Yermo on suspicion of failure to control a mischievous animal, resulting in death, a felony. Both later pleaded no contest and were sentenced to 120 days in "weekend" jail. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 25, 2007 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Property owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
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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