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.
| 2009 fatal dog attacks by breed |
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In 2009, 1 dog bite fatality involved canines from 2 or more different breeds, thus producing a death count total of 33, rather than 32. Eight dog breeds each contributed to 1 death: Alaskan malamute, American bulldog, Australian cattle dog-mix, chow chow-mix, collie-mix, great dane, Italian mastiff and weimaraner.
Cheyenne Peppers, 5-years old, was killed by her mother's pit bulls. The attack occurred in the afternoon in the backyard of 105 Executive Drive, where she lived with her mother, Thomasville police said. She was taken to Archbold Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead just before 5:00 pm. Police suspect the pregnant female dog started the attack. The other two pit bulls, an adult male and offspring, were chained up, but broke free and joined the attack, said Assistant Commander Melvin Johnson with the Thomasville Police Department. "There had been some complaints the dogs had attacked a neighbor's pet in the past," Johnson said. The girl's mother, her live-in boyfriend, and Cheyenne's sister were inside the home. When they became aware of the attack, it was too late. Cheyenne's father, David Peppers, and the mother were divorced. He later told Thomas County commissioners, "My child was murdered by three pit bulls." Peppers was scheduled to take his daughter bicycle shopping the day she was killed. All three dogs were euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 5, 2009 | Chained: | Mixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Mother |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Alex Angulo, 4-years old, was killed by at least one rottweiler. The attack occurred around 3:00 pm in the backyard of 3819 West 61st Street. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:15 pm, Chicago police said. The boy's male caregiver was using a snowblower in the back alley. After he finished, he discovered the boy in the backyard. A "Beware of Dog" sign hung on the family's wooden fence. Two rottweilers and a poodle were removed from the home; only the rottweilers were believed responsible. The Department of Children and Family Services placed Alex into the home in 2008. DFS caseworkers knew about the two rottweilers living outdoors in the family's yard. Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris criticized the agency. "You don't just say, 'OK, the kid won't go out into the yard.'" Alex had become a foster child just days after his birth. He was shuffled between multiple homes until he reached the family on 61st Street. Just days before the attack, he was scheduled to be placed with a family who hoped to adopt him. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 11, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Guardian or Foster Parent |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Brooklynn Milburn, 3-years old, was mauled to death by her neighbor's rottweiler. The attack occurred during the evening in the 3900 block of Buckhorn Place, Fort Worth police said. The child crawled through a hole in the fence of her backyard on Longleaf Court -- the two houses back up to each other -- and encountered the 17-year old intact rottweiler, which was contained in an enclosure. No one saw the attack. At the time, she and her 5-year old brother, Daniel, were under the care of her grandfather who was cooking in the kitchen. Her father was returning from work and her mother was running errands. When the grandfather stopped hearing voices, he began to search for the children. Brooklynn had slipped out the back door into the yard and climbed through a hole in the fence, separating the two yards. The dog's owner found the little girl bleeding and still breathing, but it was too late. The Tarrant County medical examiner ruled she bled to death because of bites to her face, scalp and neck. Her death was ruled an accident. The dog was euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 16, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Brianna Shanor, 8-years old, was killed by a chained dog. The attack occurred shortly after 6:30 pm at 181 Sutherin Road, Pennsylvania State Police said. She died en route to Heritage Valley Beaver Hospital, said Beaver County Coroner Teri Tatalovich-Rossi. The second grader had been living with her guardian, William Renda, at the time. The girl was outside with Renda when she told him she was cold and wanted to go inside. On her path back home, she crossed into the radius of a chained dog on the property, said State police Trooper Rocco DeMaiol. The dog -- part rottweiler, weighing over 100 pounds -- was chained to a "junk camper" trailer it used for shelter. When Renda went to check on the girl, he found her inside the trailer. She sustained multiple bite injuries, including to her neck, Tatalovich-Rossi said. The child's mother, Tara Wood, had arranged for her to live with Renda after she lost her job and was evicted from a Beaver Falls home. The dog was euthanized. Renda later destroyed two other dogs on his property that were from the same litter. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 19, 2009 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler-mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Guardian or Foster Parent |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Olivia Rozek, 3-weeks old, was killed by her family's male husky. The attack occurred around 5:45 pm in the 1600 block of Sun Ridge Drive. Firefighters found the infant still breathing with puncture wounds to her head and crushing injuries from the dog's jaws, said Bourbonnais police Chief Joseph Beard. She was taken to a Kankakee hospital then airlifted to Loyola University Medical Center, where she died at 11:55 pm. The infant had been lying on the bed with her twin sister, when the mother, 32, stepped into the kitchen. Upon hearing her daughter's cries, she rushed out and saw her baby's head in the husky's mouth. The dog had pulled her from a bed in the master bedroom and dragged her by her head through a hallway. The medical examiner's office said her death was caused by "brain injuries due to dog bite." Olivia was one of two twins born the day after Christmas. Her twin, who was also on the bed at the time, was unharmed. The family obtained the male husky from a Chicago rescue in November 2007. The family also owned a female husky. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 19, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Husky | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Infant Jane Doe, 2-weeks old, was killed by a family dog. The attack occurred inside a residence in the 11000 block of East Stearn Avenue at about 7:00 pm, said Detective Steve Berry, a Mesa Police Department spokesman. The baby's mother, Myrna Ramirez, who is a police officer with the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community, stepped away from the newborn briefly to use the bathroom, leaving the infant in a low-lying bassinet, investigators said. When the mother returned, she discovered the family dog, a chow-mix, had severely bitten the infant on the head. She called 911 panicked. When Mesa paramedics arrived, the baby girl was unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The infant's father, Marcus Rudolph, is a 7-year veteran of the Mesa Police Department. Rudolph was on duty at the time of the attack. "They are like any other parent can imagine -- they are absolutely devastated by the loss of their baby girl," Berry said. The canine was taken into custody by Maricopa County Animal Care and Control and euthanized the following day. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 4, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Chow chow-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Hill Andrew Williams Jr., 38-years old, was killed by two family mastiffs. The attack occurred around 5:13 pm at 41625 Morningside Court, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office said. Neighbors found the man "bleeding profusely" in his backyard. Both dogs, described as "very aggressive" were confiscated. Williams was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. He died of "significant physical trauma" he suffered in the dog attack, said sheriff's Sergeant Dennis Gutierrez. The dogs, both intact, "Ebony" a 90-pound female and "Butter" a 115-pound male, characterized as bullmastiff-mixes, were euthanized. Officials at Riverside County Animal Services believe the female was "in heat" at the time, and were told that Williams may have been trying to breed the dogs. The victim's fiancée, Anna Tucker, who co-owned the dogs, said the dogs were Italian mastiffs, "which are totally different than bullmastiffs," she said. Tucker also contested the cause of death. Tucker believes he died due to heart problems and that her dogs had only been "trying to help him." [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 16, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Italian mastiff (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Dustin Faulkner, 3-years old, was killed by a chained dog. The attack occurred in the 400 block of Fannie Head Road, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office said. A husky, who the boy had played with in the past, was attached to a chain between two homes. “The little boy and his neighbor were walking between the houses away from the dogs,” said Detective Bruce Williams of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. “The dog that attacked could not have gotten to them if [she] hadn’t gotten off [her] leash.” While walking, "Eli" got a sand spur in his foot. When he cried out in pain, "Tasha," broke free from her chain and attacked the boy. The 5-year old neighbor ran and got her mother's roommate, Aaron Ralph, who also owns the dog. Ralph pulled the dog off Eli and shot it. The dog had not shown vicious tendencies before, Sheriff John Carter said. A family member of Eli alleged the dog was "half husky half wolf." Of the few deaths inflicted by a single female dog, deaths inflicted by a single female wolf-dog were over 6 times more likely than all other breeds combined. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 22, 2009 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Husky | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Roommate |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Tyson Miller, 2-years old, was killed by a pit bull. The attack occurred between the morning hours and noon at 963 North Hackberry Avenue, Luling police said. Investigators found the boy dead in the backyard with "severe injuries to the head and neck," and a chained female pit bull nearby. That dog, which was pregnant, and two other dogs were kept in a "wooded area" behind the mobile home. The boy's mother, Melissa Miller, and her boyfriend had been living there for two weeks. Her children, Tyson and Valerie, had only lived there for five days. The adults were asleep when Tyson slipped outside that morning, where he encountered the dog, which was on an 18-foot chain. None of the adults woke up until about 12:30 pm. At that point, they began looking for Tyson. When they found him, he had been dead for a while, police said. A Caldwell County jury indicted Miller on charges of injury to a child and criminally negligent homicide -- both felonies. Miller pleaded no contest to criminally negligent homicide and was ordered to serve two years in jail. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 26, 2009 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Friend or Acquaintance |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Izaiah Cox, 7-months old, was killed by a relative's pit bulls. The attack occurred around 8:30 am in the 1100 block of Ruiz Street, San Antonio police said. Izaiah was under the care of his great-grandmother, Irma Barrera, 59, when she left him in a bedroom to warm a bottle in the kitchen. When she returned, her two dogs had broken through a baby gate and were attacking him. Barrera grabbed a knife and repeatedly stabbed the dogs. After she was able to free Izaiah, the dogs attacked her. Arriving EMS crews had to crawl through a side window to avoid the dogs, which had been forced outside. Police shot and killed both dogs. Izaiah and Barrera were rushed to University Hospital for their injuries, where the boy died. Both dogs, "Cane" and "Wrinkle," a male and female, were described as large pit bulls. A "Warning: Security Dog" sign hung on Barrera's fence. The dogs had previously bitten Barrera's granddaughter, requiring hospitalization. A Bexar County grand jury indicted Barrera on felony injury to a child. She died of natural causes not long after the indictment. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 31, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Great-grandmother |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
David Whitenack Jr., 41-years old, was killed by three dogs. The attack occurred at 6028 Carpenter Road, where Whitenack lived in a camper trailer, the Huron County Sheriff's Office said. Two of his friends, Douglas Ignash and Randy Franzel, found his mutilated remains inside the camper on April 13. While searching the property, owned by Frank Leavine, 79, Ignash and Franzel encountered three vicious dogs. Arriving deputies shot and killed the canines, described as male intact Australian cattle dog-mixes. Whitenack's body was taken to Huron Medical Center in Bad Axe for examination. Ignash was treated at the same hospital for his bite injuries. An autopsy determined Whitenack died "from multiple puncture wounds, which numbered between 150 and 200," said Huron County sheriff Kelly J. Hanson. His obituary states he died on April 9. Leavine died on April 15, two days after Whitenack's body was found. A few days before Leavine's death, he was placed in a nursing home, leaving in question who had been caring for his dogs when they killed Whitenack. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 9, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Australian cattle dog-mix (3) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Landlord |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Gordon Lykins, 48-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs. The attack occurred on March 28, 2009 between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm in the 1700 block of Ross Road, the Imperial County Sheriff's Office said. Lykins was found in a drainage ditch that lies between Imperial County and the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Reservation. Fire officials responded to the scene around 6:30 pm after the owner of a dog pack, who lives close by, called in a report. Lykins was able to tell responders, "the dogs ate my clothes. The dogs ate me," before being transported to Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, where doctors amputated both of his legs and one arm. He died of his injuries on April 10. Authorities confiscated 11 adult mixed-breed dogs and nine puppies belonging to Larry Stubel, 69, who found Lykins in the ditch. Stubel angrily denied his dogs had any involvement, even though police concluded his dogs were loose at the time. In October, citing insufficient evidence and a lack of witnesses, Imperial County prosecutors determined that no criminal charges would be filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 10, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Mixed-breed (11) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Resident or Occupant |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Michael Landry, 4-years old, was killed by three boxers. The attack occurred at about 4:00 pm in the 7100 block of LA-Highway 3050. The boy was playing in the front yard of his mobile home when his next-door neighbor's three dogs attacked him, the Pointe Coupee Sheriff's Office said. His neighbor, off-duty Pointe Coupee Parish sheriff’s deputy Rob Roy, a K-9 unit member, let the dogs out of their cages while he cleaned their kennels. A chain-link fence ran between the two homes, but not behind either, and barbed-wire fencing ran behind the kennel. The dogs "slipped through" the barbed-wire fence and attacked the boy as his mother gardened nearby. Michael died after being airlifted to Pointe Coupee General Hospital in New Roads. Roy and his fiancée, Candace Wells, owned the dogs. A grand jury did not indict the owners on charges of negligent homicide. Several months later, on behalf of Michael Blaise Landry and Luna McDaniel, the Louisiana legislature passed House Bill 155, which authorized negligent homicide charges after a fatal dog attack. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 10, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Boxer (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: | No |
Leonard Lovejoy Jr., 11-months old, was killed by a family pit bull. The attack occurred around 2:45 pm in the 22000 block of Nevada Avenue, Eastpointe police said. The baby had been standing on a bed in a room when the pit bull snatched the child. Both parents were also inside the room. The boy's father grabbed a .45 caliber handgun and fired eight shots at the dog, killing it, police said. “The only way they were able to get the dog to release the (child) was to shoot the dog," said Eastpointe Fire Chief Danny Hagen. The baby was rushed to St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, where he was pronounced dead. The 5-year old male pit bull had been raised by the victim's father since it was a puppy. In a press conference the next day, the victim's uncle, Terrence Lovejoy, said the pit bull "didn’t growl, didn’t bark," just walked over and grabbed the baby boy. He described the incident as "a sneak attack on my nephew." Leonard was known as a "miracle child." The couple, who have been married for 17-years, had been told they could not have children. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 22, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Barbara Chambers, 59-years old, died after being attacked by her prize-winning great dane. The attack occurred on the night of April 11 in the 500 block of Cranbrook Park, Garland police said. Chambers was in the backyard with her two show dogs, "Lemonade," a great dane, and a poodle, when Lemonade abruptly attacked her, said Garland police spokesman Joe Harn. She was able to tell paramedics the dog attacked her. Chambers was transported to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas with critical injuries. A neighbor who witnessed the incident said there was no apparent reason for the dog's attack. Police had to subdue the canine with a Taser. The dog was later euthanized by Garland Animal Control. According to the "From the Heart Kennel" website, CH Sasmac 3's Co. V Shiloh Xr ("Lemonade") was a 5-year old male brindle owned by Chambers and several others. A month after the vicious attack, The Dallas Morning News published Chambers' obituary indicating that she died on May 11, unable to recover from her critical injuries. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 11, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Great dane | 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 |
Justin Clinton, 10-years old, was killed by two pit bulls. The attack occurred around 12:15 pm in the 9400 block of County Road 133 across from Leverett's Chapel School. The boy was rushed to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, where he was pronounced dead. Witnesses reported seeing the dogs drag the child down the side of the road, the Rusk County Sheriff's Office said. A passing motorist pulled the dogs off the boy. Justin was skateboarding to the home of Ricky and Christi George when their dogs broke through a fence and attacked him. Prior to the attack, Justin had been acquainted with the dogs and had visited the George's home on a number of occasions to play with their son. The George's had owned the dogs, "Molly" and "Zeus," for four months, during which, the female had a litter of puppies. Justin's mother, Serena Clinton, later filed a civil lawsuit against the dogs' owners. In 2010, a Rusk County jury returned a $7 million dollar verdict against the Georges, finding them negligent and strictly liable for the death of Justin. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 15, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Family Friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Gabrial Mandrell-Sauerhage, 3-years old, was killed by multiple dogs. The attack occurred around 8:00 pm at 13093 Willow Pond Lane, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office said. The dogs attacked him about 200 feet from his home after he "pushed out the screen" of his bedroom window and crawled outside. He was last seen asleep in his bed at 7:30 pm. His family found him badly injured outside just after 8:00 pm. He was transported to Heartland Regional Medical Center, where he died. Two of the family's three dogs -- both pit bull-mixes -- were loose in the yard, while the other, a collie-mix, was tied up, deputies said. A neighbor said she saw the same dogs kill a local dog last week. A pathologist determined Gabrial died due to blood loss from multiple dog bites. His death was ruled an accident. Gabrial usually lived with his father, but was at his mother's house that night. No charges resulted. "Numerous box fans" were running at the time of the incident, Sheriff Tom Cundiff said. Adults inside the house would not have heard anything outside, he said. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 27, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (2) Collie-mix (1) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Mother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Kathleen Doyle, 90-years old, died after complications from a dog bite. On July 20, Doyle was attacked by an American bulldog as she walked home from her friend's house in the 4000 block of West Medlock Drive. The dog latched onto her leg, Phoenix police said. The dog's owners said the canine got out of their backyard because "windy weather blew down their fence." The injury required surgery and Doyle's health declined shortly therafter, said her son, Gerald Doyle. "It never should've happened. That dog never should've been loose," he said. Doyle died on July 26. She also suffered from cardiopulmonary disease, Phoenix police officer James Holmes said. A homicide investigation was opened as a result of the dog bite. In early July, the same dog was involved in another bite incident, said Aprille Hollis, a spokeswoman for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control. The dog was quarantined for 10 days then released back to its owners. The next attack resulted in the death of Doyle. Police did not release the names of the dog's owners. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 26, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | American bulldog | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Carter Delaney, 20-years old, was killed by his brother's two pit bulls. The attack occurred after 11:00 am at 121 Plaza Street, Leesburg police said. Delaney's grandfather called 911 just before 2:00 pm after he could not contact him, but saw his car in the driveway and two pit bulls, which were usually kept outside, loose inside the home acting "extremely agitated." Arriving officers found Delaney's body in the basement near a small lifeless dog. Both had been dead for a few hours, police said. Five dogs were inside the home: two pit bulls, each about 4-years old, a dead pug-mix, a cocker spaniel, safely crated, and a pit bull puppy secured in an upstairs bedroom. The pit bulls belonged to the victim's brother, Thomas, who lived elsewhere, but Delaney was watching them. Delaney sustained multiple bite wounds and a fatal bite to his neck. "One set of marks on the neck area penetrated the skin and hit some arteries that control blood flow and supply to the brain," said Leesburg Police Department spokesman Chris Jones. Both pit bulls were euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 10, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Brother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Justin Kummer, 2-days old, was killed by a family pit bull. The attack occurred around 10:49 pm at a home on Hollow Log Lane in the Gretchen Acres subdivision, the Hardy County Sheriff's Office said. The mother had just put the infant in bed when she left the room to answer a phone call. When she returned, the family pit bull "Nila" was close to the newborn, sniffing him. A moment later, a German shepherd-mix came into the room and the pit bull snatched the baby. "Nila, the pit bull, attacked the infant grabbed the infant from off the bed, grabbed the infant by the head," Deputy Melody Burrows said. "(It) began to shake the infant as though it was a toy or prey." The mother choked the 1-year old female pit bull, but it still would not release the baby. Her teenage daughter came into the room and cornered the dogs, forcing them out an open window. The infant died en route to a helicopter-landing zone set up at the Ebenezer Lutheran Church lot. The family had purchased the pit bull from a relative in Maryland three months ago. Both dogs were euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 15, 2009 | 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: | No |
Lothar Schweder, 77-years old, and his wife Sherry were killed by up to 16 mixed-breed dogs. The attack occurred on the evening of August 14 on Howard Thaxton Road, a rural dirt lane, the Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office said. The couple was likely attacked in sequence. Both bodies were found the next morning a few hundred yards from their home on Georgia Highway 77. Authorities believe Sherry had gone out on a walk that evening. When she did not return, her husband Lothar, a retired professor at the University of Georgia, got worried. He drove the couple's car down the road looking for her. When he found her and got out of the car, the dogs fatally attacked him. Both mutilated bodies were found lying by the car the next day. The dogs were traced to the home of Howard Thaxton, who had been feeding them, but had recently moved away due to medical problems. Thaxton still visited the property every other day to feed the dogs and told authorities he did not believe they were responsible for the attacks. No charges were filed against Thaxton. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 15, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Mixed-breed (16) | 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: | No |
Sherry Schweder, 65-years old, and her husband Lothar were killed by up to 16 mixed-breed dogs. The attack occurred on the evening of August 14 on Howard Thaxton Road, a rural dirt lane, the Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office said. The couple was likely attacked in sequence. Both bodies were found the next morning a few hundred yards from their home on Georgia Highway 77. Authorities believe Sherry, who was a bibliographer at the University of Georgia, had gone out on a walk that evening. When she did not return, her husband got worried. He drove the couple's car down the road looking for her. When he found her and got out of the car, the dogs fatally attacked him. Both mutilated bodies were found lying by the car the next day. The dogs were traced to the home of Howard Thaxton, who had been feeding them, but had recently moved away due to medical problems. Thaxton still visited the property every other day to feed the dogs and told authorities he did not believe they were responsible for the attacks. No charges were filed against Thaxton. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 15, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Mixed-breed (16) | 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: | No |
Jasmine Deane, 23-months old, was killed by a chained pit bull. The attack occurred at about 6:40 pm in the 18100 block of Beech Tree Drive, off Mountain Track Road, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said. The toddler slipped out of her house and into the radius of the chained pit bull, while her mother was distracted. A family member found her bloody, wounded and unresponsive in the backyard, said Orange County Sheriff Mark Amos. No one witnessed the attack. She was transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 9:10 pm. The dog had lived with the family for about 10 years, Amos said. The dog was taken into custody and euthanized that night at the Orange County animal shelter. The child's parents, Johnny Neal Deane and Kristie Jo Fincham of Culpeper, had recently moved to the area. In 2019, Deane posted a circa 2000 photograph of a game bred pit bull terrier pedigree to his Facebook page for "Pit Island's 'E'." The owner of Pit Island Kennels, Dominic Barizone, was arrested in 2017 for dogfighting.4-6 [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 20, 2009 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Family member (generic) |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Colten Smith, 19-months old, was killed by a pit bull while under the care of his babysitter. The attack occurred around 9:30 am at a residence in the 9600 block of Donovans Way, the Merced County Sheriff's Office said. The toddler drifted into the backyard when the babysitter, who lives at the home, went to the bathroom. The dog grabbed the boy by the throat and dragged him around the yard. The "babysitter sees this, goes after the pit bull the best she can and finds a two-prong barbecue fork, tries to beat the pit bull into submission," Sheriff Pazin said. When the dog let go, she called 911 hysterical, hung up, then tried to drive the injured toddler to the hospital. She was pulled over by a deputy for driving erratically, Pazin said. An ambulance drove Colten to a local hospital, where he was flown to the Children's Hospital in Madera. He died shortly thereafter. The dog, "Max," belonged to the babysitter's future in-laws, Gustavo Garcia and Martha Carrera, who were in the process of moving and had left the dog at the babysitter's home for about a week. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 23, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Babysitter's Relative |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Matthew Hurt, 2-years old, was killed by a chained pit bull. The attack occurred just after 9:00 am in the 600 block of West Olive Street, Prescott police said. Matthew, his 3-year old brother and their mother had spent the night at the babysitter's home in the 700 block of Bemis Street. That morning, the two toddlers wandered about 350 feet away into a neighbor's yard where Matthew encountered a male pit bull attached to a 20-foot chain, said Prescott Police Chief Brian Russell. His older brother ran back home and told his mother. The owner of the pit bull was unaware of the attack until the boy's mother knocked on her door while searching for her son. A neighbor, Bridgette Monroe, saw the badly injured boy. "The baby's jugular, throat was bitten and from his mouth up to his eye was bitten," Monroe said. The child was flown by air ambulance to St. Michael's Hospital in Texarkana, where he was pronounced dead, Russell said. An adult female pit bull and a puppy were also in the yard. Both adult dogs were taken into custody by animal control. [source citations]
| Date of death: | October 28, 2009 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Destiny Knox, 16-months old, was killed by a pit bull while under the care of her babysitter. The attack occurred in the evening at a trailer home on County Road 87 in the Martintown community. The home belonged to the babysitter's boyfriend, Jerry Westmoreland, who owned five pit bull terriers. The attack occurred as the babysitter, Tonya Graham, was putting away groceries, Union County Chief Deputy Jimmy Whitten said. "The dog pried the door open, came in behind them," he said. Investigators said the child was mutilated. The male pit bull named "Foolish" was normally kept chained near the home, but it slipped its collar and got inside. Westmoreland intervened by "hitting the dog with a baseball bat and stabbing it, but it was too late at that point," Sheriff Tommy Wilhite said. An arriving deputy shot and killed the dog. Westmoreland volunteered to surrender his remaining pit bulls to the Oxford Humane Society after her death. Ironically, Westmoreland had a custom painted "pit bull memorial" poem on the back of his SUV for a previous pit bull named "Bam Bam." [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 5, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Babysitter's boyfriend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Karen Gillespie, 53-years old, was killed by a neighbor's dog. Her husband, Stephen Gillespie, reported her missing to Kentucky State Police about 7:00 pm the previous night. She was found around 9:30 am the next morning in the 3000 block of Webb Mill Road. “The cause of death was head injuries from a dog attack,” deputy coroner John Clemens said, referring to the autopsy report. Gillespie died between 4:15 and 5:00 pm the previous night, Clemens said. Gillespie had been out in the woods searching for the remnants of a one-room schoolhouse that she wanted to photograph when the dog attacked her. Authorities seized a white boxer-mix owned by Howard Miller, who lives on a property adjacent to where her body was found. The dog had previously bitten a U.S. Census worker and a firefighter involved in the search for Gillespie. A grand jury declined to indict Howard Miller and his wife Linda on felony charges in connection to her death. Prosecutors later charged the Millers with a misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 24, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Boxer-mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes (MISD) |
Rosie Humphreys, 85-years old, was killed by a neighbor's pit bull. The attack occurred around 2:18 pm in the 200 block of Austin Avenue, Flora police said. When officers arrived, neighbors were offering first aid to the victim, and the dog's owner had control of the dog. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Clay County Coroner Gary Bright. One of her poodles, "Snuggles," also died at the scene. "She possibly tried to defend her dog and she became the target." Flora Assistant Police Chief Geb Borders said. The cause of death was blood loss, due to "transected carotid artery, due to bite mark lacerations." The intact male pit bull had been chained in the owner's backyard, but broke free and attacked the poodle and Humphreys. Minutes beforehand, multiple neighbors had seen the pit bull running loose. Police believe Humphreys left her home at about 2:16 pm to walk her two poodles. But she only made it to the end of her driveway before being attacked. Police determined the pit bull got loose because the metal "D" ring on its collar broke. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 30, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Lowell Bowden, 70-years old, was killed by at least four loose pit bulls. The attack occurred on November 27 just after 4:00 pm while Lowell was walking along Broyles Cemetery Road. Two hunters came upon the attack and chased off the dogs. Lowell died of his injuries on December 4. "Mr. Bowden was maimed beyond recognition, with no facial features remaining and other horrific disfigurement," his family said. Monroe County Prosecutor Justin St. Clair charged four people with misdemeanors: Justin Ray Blankenship, 18, his mother Kimberly Blankenship, 51, Mose Christian, 19, and Anna Hughes, 32. Bowden's family, who sought felony charges, said in a statement: "No more one free bite, one free mauling and no more one free homicide!" After his death, involuntary manslaughter, also a misdemeanor, was added to the charges. Justin pleaded guilty to all charges. A jury acquitted Kimberly. Charges against Christian and Hughes were dropped. Lowell's wife, Dreama Bowden, later sued the dogs' owners, Monroe County Commission and Dog Warden Patricia Green. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 4, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (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 (MISD) |
Dallas Walters, 20-months old, was killed by a relative's rottweiler-mix. The attack occurred around 7:30 pm at 9615 Jerome Drive in Moon Lake, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said. The boy's father, Andrew Walters, acted quickly. "I ran over there, pulled the dog off him," Walters said. "I tried to beat the hell out of him." Walters drove his son to Northbay Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The attack occurred inside his great-aunt's home, where they were celebrating his cousin's 18th birthday. Just before the attack, the boy's mother, Jessica Stafford, was feeding Dallas potato salad. He would take a bite, walk away and return for another bite, Stafford said. Suddenly, the rottweiler lunged from behind a sofa and latched onto the boy's head. The male dog, "Willie," had been chained up outside, but somehow got loose and came into the house, relatives said. The dog's owners, Lisa and Preston Evans, had acquired Willie and a 3-month old female offspring from a newspaper advertisement two months earlier. Pasco County Animal Services euthanized the dog. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 12, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler-labrador mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Great-aunt |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Theresa Ellerman, 49-years old, was fatally bitten by a dog while visiting a friend's home. Norfolk police and fire were dispatched to the 8200 block of Tabor Court at about 2:30 am in response to a reported dog bite victim. Arriving officers found Ellerman experiencing difficulty in breathing. She was transported to DePaul Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 3:45 am. Ellerman, who was from Jacksonville, North Carolina, had been staying with friends when their Alaskan malamute bit her in the neck, said Chris Amos, a spokesman with the Norfolk Police Department. Authorities would not release how many times she was bitten or the extent of her injuries, but Amos did say "she was not mauled." Norfolk animal control officers removed the canine from the home. The Norfolk Medical Examiner's office said Ellerman died after being bitten in the throat by a dog. Her death was ruled accidental. Police did not identify the owner of the dog. Ellerman served over 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. At the time of her death, she was engaged to be married. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 12, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Alaskan malamute | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Friend or Acquaintance |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Liam Perk, 2-years old, was killed by a dog inside his home. First responders were dispatched to the 200 block of Southeast 45th Terrace at about 7:41 am for a report of an animal bite, the Cape Coral Police Department said. The boy was bitten in the neck by the family's 8-year old male weimaraner, officials said. Liam was transported to Cape Coral Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:29 am. Jurisdiction of the case was taken over by the District 21 Medical Examiner’s Office to conduct an autopsy to confirm the cause and manner of death, said Connie Barron, Cape Coral police spokeswoman. Liam, who had recently celebrated his second birthday, had just "walked by the dog" that morning. “The dog was startled for whatever reason and bit the boy,” Barron said. Lee County Animal Services confiscated two weimaraners from the home, a male named "Lloyd" and a female named "Chesey." The family surrendered Lloyd for euthanasia. The female, who was not involved in the attack, was returned to the family. No criminal charges were filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 22, 2009 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Weimaraner | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
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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