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.
| 2013 fatal dog attacks by breed |
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In 2013, 1 dog bite fatality involved canines from 2 different breeds, thus producing a death count total of 33 rather than 32. Four dog breeds each contributed to 1 death, including: boxer, husky, rottweiler and shiba inu. The combined breed group, mastiff/bullmastiff, includes: 2 bullmastiff-mixes.
The below items were issued when annual statistics were originally published on January 20, 2014. New fatalities and updates to our 2013 Fatality Statistics may have been added since.
Betty Todd, 65-years old, was killed by her son's pit bull while babysitting his three children. The Greenwood County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call around 8:00 pm reporting a dog attack in the 800 block of East Gunning Road. The victim's son, Andrew Todd, and his wife were out to dinner at the time. The eldest child called her father, alerting him to the attack then "evacuated" her younger siblings out of the house. Arriving deputies encountered an aggressive black-and-white pit bull with blood on its mouth, chest and paws at the front door. Authorities found Betty's lifeless body on the living room floor covered in blood and bite wounds. The coroner's report stated she died of severe neck and spinal injuries. The family had owned the pit bull, "Mica," for four years. The victim's brother-in-law, David Todd, told a media outlet, "This dog has never shown any aggression before." It was later revealed the dog had killed the family's Siberian husky four months earlier. The female pit bull had been spayed just days before killing Betty in the hopes of lowering its aggression. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 8, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Son |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Christian Gormanous, 4-years old, was mauled to death by his neighbor's chained pit bull. The attack occurred around 5:15 pm in the 5700 block of Pinehurst Drive just west of Conroe, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department. Christian and his 9-year old sister, Trinity, had been playing in their family's backyard when the boy climbed over a chain-link fence into the neighbor's yard. Waiting in the neighbor's backyard was a dangerous dog, a chained pit bull. When Christian entered into the "death radius" of the chain, the dog viciously attacked the boy. Trinity was able to free her younger brother from the dog, brought him back over the fence then ran and told her mother who called 911. The boy was transported by air ambulance to a trauma center in Houston, where he died of his severe injuries that evening. At the time of the attack, the boy's mother had been feeding a newborn inside the home. Montgomery County animal control officers took custody of the dog. No criminal charges were warranted. No other information was released. [source citations]
| Date of death: | January 19, 2013 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | 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: | No |
Elsie Grace, 91-years old, was kileld her son's two pit bulls. Grace was discovered dead in her room at a Motel 6, in the 3880 hundred block of West Florida Avenue on February 8. First responders were called to the motel around noon. "The victim had a great deal of trauma to her body," Hemet police Lieutenant Duane Wisehart said. "It is believed the victim was mauled and killed by both dogs based upon her injuries." She was pronounced dead at the scene. Elsie and her son had been staying at the hotel because they were in the process of relocating to Hemet. Her son was away when his dogs attacked her. A family member said his dogs had killed one of Grace's cats in the past year. Elsie was a nationally known watercolorist who taught for 33 years at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree. After her retirement, she was commissioned by La Quinta Hotel and painted 230 watercolor views of the hotel's casitas. Elsie was also a member of the La Quinta Arts Association and exhibited her work at the La Quinta Arts Foundationʼs Art Under the Umbrellas event. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 8, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Son |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Isaiah Aguilar, 2-years old, was killed by his neighbor's pit bull. The attack occurred around 12:50 pm in the 100 block of First Street. According to the boy's family, Isaiah ran next door to chase after a balloon taken by the wind when a female pit bull tied up in the neighbor's yard attacked him. "The dog broke the chain and got Isaiah," the child's aunt, Diane Gonzales said. Isaiah's 5-year old sister alerted her father, Richard Aguilar, who ran over to rescue his son. By the time Aguilar reached him, Isaiah had already stopped breathing. Sabinal police officer Mario Resma was the first to arrive at the scene. He transported the father, still cradling his child, to Knippa, where they were met by Uvalde EMS. The medic team drove the boy to Uvalde Memorial Hospital, but he did not survive. He was pronounced dead at 1:17 pm by Justice of the Peace Rodrigo Martinez. The owner of the culprit dog named "Manuela" was out of state at the time, police said. "The owner gave us consent to put the dog to sleep," Sabinal police chief Jesus "Chuy" Reyes said. [source citations]
| Date of death: | February 16, 2013 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Ryan Maxwell, 7-years old, was killed by a pit bull while visiting family friends. Galesbury police responded to the 600 block of Whiting Avenue at approximately 1:03 pm for a report of a child attacked by a dog. Officers arrived and found pit bull still clamped onto the boy's neck. After police "disengaged" the dog, the animal was shot to death to prevent additional attacks. The boy was transported to Cottage Hospital, where he died. Ryan had spent the previous night at the home. At the time of the attack, the boy had been playing in the backyard. Investigators believe the dog was tethered before the attack, but broke free. The owner of the pit bull, Ashiya Ferguson, said she tried everything she could to get the dog "Ghost" off the boy, including beating the dog with a shovel. "I couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop it," she said. The autopsy report states, "Internally he had laceration of the carotid artery and jugular vein." The dog's teeth also fractured his fifth and sixth vertebrae. Animal control removed the carcass of Ghost, as well as the dog's littermate, "Future." [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 2, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Family friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Daxton Borchardt, 14-months old, was killed by his babysitter's two pit bulls. At about 12:46 pm, Susan Iwicki called 911 stating she and a boy were under attack by her two pit bulls. A Walworth County sheriff's deputy arrived at N2037 North Lakeshore Drive just minutes later. He found the child in one of the rooms of Iwicki's home. The boy was fully naked, lying motionless on his back on the floor in a puddle of blood. He was rushed to a hospital with critical injuries then airlifted to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where he died. Iwicki had raised both pit bulls, littermates "Penny" and "Bosston," since puppyhood. On that day, she held Daxton in her arms as she opened a gate in the backyard letting the dogs into a fenced-in area. When the dogs returned, they suddenly charged her. A bite to her arm forced Dax out of her arms. The dogs instantly attacked him. Iwicki was able to grab her cell phone that had fallen into the snow and call 911. She had babysat Daxton about 20 times in the past without incident. Both pit bulls, each 3-years old and sterilized, were euthanized. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 6, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Babysitter |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Monica Laminack, 21-months old, was killed by seven family pit bulls. The attack occurred in the backyard of her home in the 500 block of Elm Road. Investigators believe she crawled through a doggie door unnoticed and was attacked -- the dogs lived inside and outside the home. A 911 call at 6:36 pm reported the girl's grandmother woke up from a nap after hearing dogs barking, looked out the back window and saw the attack happening, Bryan County Sheriff Clyde Smith said. She and other family members rushed outside to pull the dogs off the toddler, but it was too late. When EMS arrived, the child's body was already cold, indicating she had been dead for a while, Smith said. "The [dogs] had dragged the child all over the yard," Smith said. Her clothing and diaper were found in shreds. Police believe she was attacked around 6:00 pm, a half hour before the 911 call. The child's mother, Summer Laminack, 18, two adult relatives and two young boys were inside the home at the time. Summer was later charged with second-degree cruelty to children, a felony. [source citations]
| Date of death: | March 27, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (7) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Family |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
Tyler Jett, 7-years old, was killed by his neighbor's two pit bull-type dogs. Bay County sheriff's deputies responded to call about a dog attack around 2:26 pm to 6213 Kelly Court in Callaway. Upon arrival, they found a critically injured child. Tyler was flown to Scared Heart Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. He sustained a punctured carotid artery and severe bites to his head, face and neck. Tyler had been playing in the front yard of his home. The two dogs owned by Edward Daniels II, 21, escaped their fenced-in property prior to the assault. Several days earlier, Daniels had been cited for allowing his two 60-70 pound dogs, "Fat Boy" and "MJ," to run free and terrorize neighbors. Daniels was charged with tampering of evidence for washing the blood off the face and paws of one of the dogs after the attack. Tyler did not regain consciousness in the trauma unit. He died five days after the vicious attack. Prosecutors added a manslaughter charge against Daniels. A jury found him guilty of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 10 years in jail. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 7, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-American bulldog mix (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Claudia Gallardo, 38-years old, was killed by a pit bull with a violent history. San Joaquin County sheriff's deputies were called to the 400 block of North Lillian Avenue at 8:19 pm for a report of a dog mauling. When deputies arrived, they found a woman in a driveway with massive wounds. There was "a lot of blood," police Sergeant Tom Rees said. He described the dog as a "big, nasty pit bull." She was declared dead at the scene. Neighbors said the same pit bull, "Russia," had been terrorizing the area for months. The dog's owner, Brian Hrenko, was away when the dog attacked. His female roommate was home, who alleged the victim jumped over the front fence and claimed to be there to clean the house. After being detained and questioned by police, Hrenko admitted that Gallardo had been to his residence at least once before and had interacted well with his dog. Brian Michael Hrenko, 60, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony animal charges in connection to her death. He was convicted on both charges. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 11, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Tenant |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Jordyn Arndt, 4-years old, was killed by her babysitter's pit bull. Prairie City police and paramedics were dispatched to 300 South Marshall Street at 2:01 pm for a child bitten by a pit bull. Upon arrival, she was airlifted to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines with life-threatening injuries. She died the next day. At the time, Jena Marie Wright, 24, had been babysitting Jordyn and her brother. The babysitting arrangement had started about two weeks earlier. Jordyn was in the backyard of the home with Wright's 3-year old daughter when the dog latched onto her neck. Wright was arrested hours after the girl died and charged with child endangerment resulting in death, a class B felony, and neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, a class C felony. During the criminal trial, prosecutors presented a rebuttal witness, Christy Cockerham, who testified the dog, "Brutus," had bitten her in the presence of Wright in the past and that Wright knew her dog was aggressive. A Jasper County jury convicted Wright on all counts. Wright was sentenced to 10-years in prison. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 23, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Babysitter |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Beau Rutledge, 2-years old, was killed by a family pit bull. Fulton County police were dispatched to the 500 block of Sierra Trail around 1:17 pm for a report of a dog attacking a child. Upon arrival, officers found the boy deceased. The boy's mother, Angela Rutledge, told police she went to the bathroom and came back to find Beau lifeless. "It was that fast," Rutledge said. "His neck was almost severed from his body," she said. "I was sliding in the blood trying to call 911. I kept dropping the phone because I was so shaken." First responders said the scene was so gruesome that police hung a sheet over the doorway of the home to keep it hidden from view. "I felt like I was in a horror film," said one neighbor who briefly saw inside of the home. Rutledge was taken to South Fulton Medical Center "due to suicidal thoughts." The boy's father, Jeremiah Rutledge, had to be subdued with a Taser after becoming "hysterical and irate" when refused entrance into the crime scene. The family had owned the spayed female pit bull, "Kissy Face," for eight years. [source citations]
| Date of death: | April 24, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female | Owner of dog: | Mother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Yes | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Rachael Honabarger, 35-years old, sustained critical injuries after being attacked by a German shepherd. The Coshocton County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call about a dog attack at 41900 County Road 23 around 2:40 pm. An investigation by the Coshocton County Dog Warden found that a neighbor driving by the saw an adult female in distress with the dog beside her. As the neighbor approached to help her, the dog attacked her again, this time biting into her neck. The man was able to pull dog off the woman and secure it in an outdoor kennel. He called 911 and provided first aid until EMS arrived at the scene. She was transported to a local hospital then airlifted to Grant Medical Center in Columbus. She died of her injuries two days later. Another neighbor, John Speaks, said the dog was always aggressive. "He's always been very aggressive but he would never go beyond the road. He guarded the yard and the house," Speaks said. There were no witnesses to the initial attack. The 3-year old, 104-pound male German shepherd was euthanized after her death. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 2, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | German shepherd | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Husband |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Pamela Devitt, 63-years old, was killed by four pit bulls while taking a morning walk. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the attack occurred around 9:30 am on East Avenue S near 115th Street East. A passing motorist saw the woman being attacked and called 911. Officials said her injuries included being "scalped" and one arm ripped off. She died while en route to a hospital. Deputies began house-to-house ground and air searches to capture the dogs. LA County Supervisor Mike Antonovich offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the "four killer pit bulls." Detectives obtained information that led to a search warrant in the 37000 block of 115th Street East. Police seized 8 dogs from the property -- 6 were pit bulls. Detectives also uncovered a "marijuana grow" operation. Alex Jackson, 29, was arrested on suspicion of cultivating marijuana. After conducting DNA tests on the dogs, authorities charged Jackson with second-degree murder in connection to Devitt's death. He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years to life. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 9, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (4) | 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 |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Carlton Freeman, 80-years old, was dragged from his wheelchair and killed by four dogs. On May 8, Dorchester County sheriff's deputies were called to Spring Branch and Dunnings roads just before 3:00 pm for a report of a dog attack. Upon arrival, they found Freeman, who was a double-amputee, badly wounded. Dorchester County Coroner Chris Nisbet said Freeman was going down the side of the road in his wheelchair when the dogs attacked him. He was taken to Trident Hospital where he died four days later. "He had bites and lacerations from his legs to the top of his head," Nisbet said. Neighbors said the dogs had been roaming the area for months. Barbara Goodwin admitted to caring for three of the dogs. Authorities seized those three dogs; each had traces of blood on their fur. Freeman's family members, who witnessed the attack, identified all four dogs as pit bulls. During the investigation, deputies determined all four dogs to be feral and did not belong to any one person. At the request of the victim and his family, no charges were brought. [source citations]
| Date of death: | May 12, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (4) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Ownerless |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Ayden Evans, 5-years old, was killed by a neighbor's bullmastiff-mix. The attack occurred in the 100 block of Geiling Lane around noon, according to the Garland County Sheriff's Office. The boy lived in Oklahoma, but was staying at his aunt's house in Jessieville for the summer. Ayden was visiting his aunt's neighbor, Lynne Geiling, when her dog attacked him. The dog attacked Ayden when he became upset and started crying. Geiling was unable to separate the two until her husband arrived to help. The boy died from blood loss relating to head and neck injuries. The boy's body was released to a funeral home in Hot Springs before his parents arrived from Oklahoma. The devastated couple took their son's body back home in an urn. The dog fled the home after the attack. Garland County officials located the dog the next day. On January 2, 2014 arrest warrants relating to the fatal attack of Joan Kappen, which occurred 8 miles away on November 21, 2013, confirmed the bullmastiff-pit bull mix that killed Ayden was a littermate of the dog that killed Kappen. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 9, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Bullmastiff-pit bull mix | 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: | No |
Nephi Selu, 6-years old, died after being bitten on the head by a pit bull. The attack occurred around 11:30 am in the 32400 block of Elizabeth Way. "According to family members, the boy was actively playing with the dog and may have attempted to climb onto the dog's back," said Union City police Commander Ben Horner. "The dog attacked the boy and bit him on top of his head." He died at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto just after 4:00 pm. The attack occurred at the boy's grandparents' home, where he and his mother had been living. The boy's uncle, Keala Keanaaina, is a San Mateo police officer. His seven children and wife also reside at the home. After hearing a commotion, Keanaaina went downstairs and saw the dog had the child. He took a hold of the dog in the jaw, and the dog released. The 2-year old male pit bull "Kava" was the child's "best friend," according to his mother Tilema Selu. She said the attack came as a shock, "like one best friend turned on the other." A Beware of Dog sign hung on a fence at the family's home. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 17, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Uncle |
| Spay/Neuter: | No | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Arianna Merrbach, 5-years old, was killed by a chained pit bull while visiting her aunt's home. The attack occurred around 11:15 am at 7208 Fork Road, Florence County Coroner Keith Von Lutcken said. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene. Firefighters said the child walked up to the dog, which was chained in the backyard. "The animal in question was on a chain, and we do have a tethering ordinance in Florence County, which prohibits that activity," Herbie Christmas with Florence County Environmental Services said. Lula Waddle, who lives next door, said the victim "grew up with the dogs." Autopsy findings were released one day after her death. The cause of death was due to "multiple sharp blunt force injuries" and trauma, Lutcken said. The manner of death was an accident. Christmas confirmed the dog was an adult male pit bull-mix. He said it was the first deadly dog mauling in the county in the 17 years of his service. The dog was taken into custody and euthanized. Two other pit bulls from the home were also surrendered to his agency. [source citations]
| Date of death: | June 25, 2013 | Chained: | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Aunt |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Linda Oliver, 63-years old, was killed by a stray dog she began caring for two weeks earlier. Liberty County Sheriff's Captain Ken DeFoor said around 10:13 am, a 911 call came in from a man who said his wife called him at work saying the stray dog they had been feeding attacked her pet dog then attacked her. "He said she sounded really weak and then the phone went dead," DeFoor said. A deputy was dispatched to the couple's home in The Woodland Hills subdivision. Upon arrival, entry into the home was blocked by a "large black and very aggressive dog with blood on his head and body, DeFoor said. Deputies fired three shots at it, hitting the dog twice, causing it to flee. Once inside the house, deputies found Oliver deceased on the living room floor covered in severe dog bites. For nearly two days the dog "Bruiser," described as a rottweiler-mastiff mix, eluded authorities. On July 2, deputies found the dog and shot it to death. Friends said Oliver loved animals and often rescued abandoned pets. She was also the owner of Linda's Dog Grooming in Dayton. [source citations]
| Date of death: | July 1, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Rottweiler-mastiff mix | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Juan Campos, 96-years old, died after being mauled by one or more pit bulls. The attack occurred in the backyard of his home in the 22300 block of Maplewood Drive. His grandson, Miguel Velasquez, discovered his body around 1:30 pm lying next to his pet dog, a chihuahua, also dead. Velasquez said his grandfather was covered in bite marks and the lower part of one of his legs was missing. Three pit bulls where in the backyard when he arrived, one was pacing back and forth and two others were attacking a neighbor's pet dog. Animal control seized five dogs from the area -- at least one of which had quite a bit of blood on it. Deputies and Campos' family believe the dogs belong to a neighbor who lives in a house behind them. "There is a wooden fence that surrounds the (Campos') yard, and there are holes in the fence where the slats have been broken," said Sergeant Ben Beall, with the Harris County Sheriff's department. Campos' family said the dogs had been aggressive in the past. They had tried working with the neighbor about controlling his dogs. [source citations]
| Date of death: | August 30, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (5) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Neighbor |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Jordan Reed, 5-years old, was discovered dead after being attacked by at least one dog. The boy had been playing in front of his home that evening when he was reported missing around 10:44 pm. He was last seen near his family's home around 9:00 pm. Kotzebue police, fire and search and rescue personnel searched for the boy through the night. He was discovered in an open field at about 4:10 am on the outskirts of town, about 600 feet north of Sixth Street. Authorities captured several loose dogs in the area where the boy was found, one of which was determined to have been involved in the mauling, a husky-mix. Kotzebue Mayor Nathan Kotch said that loose dogs have been an increasing problem in the Arctic town and that city officials had recently tightened the town's dog ordinance to address this issue. "We were all dreading something like this happening. We talked about it when we passed the ordinance," Kotch said. The mayor was horrified by the boy's death and promised that city council would revisit the issue of dangerous dogs running loose. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 15, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Husky-mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Unknown |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Daniel Teubner, 2-years old, was killed by his babysitter's pit bulls. The attack occurred around 11:00 am at the babysitter's home in the 1700 block of East Melrose Street near South Val Vista Drive. The boy and his four siblings, each under the age of 10, were staying the weekend with Lara Czerniski, 28, while their parents were out of town. On Sunday morning, three of the babysitter's adult pit bulls began fighting. Somehow Daniel got caught up in the fight, and the dogs began attacking him. He was rushed to Gilbert Mercy Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Czerniski sustained serious injuries intervening in the fight. She was transported to a hospital in Scottsdale and underwent surgery. None of the other children were harmed, but at least one witnessed the attack. Maricopa County Animal Care and Control seized four pit bull-mixes from the babysitter's home. The three dogs involved in the attack were put down. The other dog, the mother of the three pit bull-mixes, which came into the shelter spayed, is set to be returned to Czerniski. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 22, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (3) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Babysitter |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Samuel Zamudio, 2-years old, was killed by up to five dogs at his grandmother's home. Colton police responded to the 700 block of West Citrus Street around 5:30 pm. At the time of the attack, the boy's uncle was babysitting Samuel and his 7-year old brother. When family members realized he was missing, it was too late. They found his mangled, lifeless body with his clothing stripped away in the backyard. "It was ugly. His face was all eaten up. He was eaten from the face. He had no clothes," said a tenant who lives at the home. The grandmother's five pit bull-mix dogs, which she had been collecting over the years, dragged the boy out of a window and attacked him. He was taken to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center with extensive wounds, where he was pronounced dead. All five dogs, along with three puppies, were seized from the home. Prosecutors charged the uncle, Marco Zamudio, 22, with felony child cruelty. He was later acquitted by a San Bernardino County jury. Zamudio's public defender characterized the boy's death as a "freak accident." [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 23, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull-mix (5) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Grandmother |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Jordan Ryan, 5-years old, was killed by a pit bull while visiting the owner's home. The attack occurred at around 9:00 am in the 1900 block of 14th Street, Baker City police said. The boy's mother, Michelle Ryan, said she had taken her children to the home of Mary Lane before, but was unaware she had recently adopted a pit bull. An autopsy conducted by the State Medical Examiner determined the boy "suffered extensive injuries, which caused him to bleed to death," District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff said in a statement. A public memorial was held outside his kindergarten building several days after he died. The school district provided grief counselors to teachers and students. A grand jury declined to indict Lane due to "insufficient evidence to support criminal charges." Baker City police investigated the background of the pit bull that Lane had owned for about 6-weeks after acquiring it from a resident in John Day, Oregon. Police found no evidence the dog "Taz" had acted aggressively "toward people" in the past. Separately, Lane was cited for animal neglect in 2017. [source citations]
| Date of death: | September 27, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Family friend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Terry Douglass, 56-years old, was killed by her own pit bull. The attack occurred around 12:45 am inside her home in the 2000 block of East 30th Street, Baltimore police said. "Boosie," her 4-year old male pit bull, had attacked Douglass twice before, her daughter Tamathia Davis said. The attacks began about 2-years earlier, around the same time Douglass became wheelchair-bound due to cerebral palsy. In the first attack, the dog bit her so savagely in the face, "whenever my mom would open her mouth, her cheek would open with it," Davis said. The second attack occurred in April, when the dog bit her nephew then bit Douglass who intervened. Baltimore City Animal Control seized the pit bull and held the dog in a 10-day quarantine then returned it to its disabled owner, citing they "did not feel the dog was a threat to the public." Family members did feel the animal was a threat and pleaded with animal control not to return the dog. Davis even asked her mother's landlord to ban the dog. Six months later, "Boosie" attacked Douglass a third time, killing her. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 1, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Katherine Atkins, 25-years old, was killed by her boyfriend's two pit bulls, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said. Her body was discovered around 6:25 pm in the 2700 block of Stable Hill Trail by her boyfriend's roommate. Atkins had stopped by to feed the male and female pit bulls when the dogs attacked her. No one witnessed the incident. The two dogs were housed in a fenced-in area behind the residence. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found Katherine lying dead in the backyard near the dogs' outdoor enclosure. Investigators said the dogs were running loose in the area when authorities arrived. Atkins had been around the pit bulls since they were puppies and there was "no history of problems or aggression" with the animals. Albert (Tico) Jacobs, the woman's boyfriend and owner of the dogs, surrendered them to Forsyth County Animal Control, which euthanized both dogs. According to Jacobs' Facebook page, he and Atkins had been dating since 2008. The sheriff's office called the young woman's death a "terrible tragedy." [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 4, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Boyfriend |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Nga Woodhead, 65-years old, was killed by two pit bulls while taking a walk. The attack occurred around 9:00 am in the 16200 block of Pacific Avenue South, Pierce County sheriff’s officials said. That morning, a "village effort" unfolded as a 52-year old Marine veteran intervened, fighting off the dogs with his bare hands and carrying the fight into the busy street. He suffered serious bite injuries. Another passerby was handed a gun and shot one of the dogs, wounding it. “The dogs were tearing into the flesh of the woman as she was screaming,” one witness said. Arriving deputies shot and killed both pit bulls. Woodhead was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital with extensive injuries. A week later, just before being discharged from the hospital, her heart stopped. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office said Nga died of a heart attack brought on by "extremity contusions, lacerations and fractures due to dog bites." Her husband, Charles Woodhead, was later awarded an uncollectable $1.12 million in a lawsuit against the dogs' owner, Santiago Quecada. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 5, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Both | Owner of dog: | Property owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | No |
Levi Watson, 4-years old, was killed up to three pit bulls while visiting the owner's home. The attack occurred around 3:30 pm in the 100 block of Piker Lane, the White County Sheriff's Department said. The child was transported by ambulance to the White County Medical Center in Searcy, where he died of his injuries. The boy managed to get out of the home and into a fenced-in area where the dogs were kept while his mother and the dogs' owner were in the home. "At least two adults were inside the house and heard a commotion and went outside," Chief Deputy for the White County Sheriff's Office said. "They were able to pull the child away from the dogs and began providing treatment for them as best they could." His mother, Deborah Sizemore, said she tried resuscitating him, but it was too late. Deputies seized three pit bulls owned by Bradford resident Justin Corbit, a family relative, and held the dogs in quarantine during the investigation. The three pit bulls were later "destroyed" by the request of the dogs' owner. No criminal charges were filed. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 8, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (3) | 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 |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Joan Kappen, 75-years old, was killed by a bullmastiff-pit bull mix while taking a morning walk. The attack occurred on Ornado Lane around 7:40 am, Hot Springs Village Police Chief Gary Adams said. She was transported to Mercy Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The owner of the dog, Emily Coy, was not home during the attack. She had left the dog in the care of her mother, Brande Coy. The mother let the dog out of the house unsupervised in an unsecured yard. At some point, the dog began attacking Joan. Brande sustained injuries trying to gain control of the large dog. It took her 30 minutes to get the animal back into the house before calling 911. She then remained in the house, leaving Kappen dying in a roadside ditch. On January 2, 2014 the Saline County Prosecutor's Office issued a felony manslaughter charge against Brande Coy and a lesser charge against Emily. At that time, arrest warrants confirmed that "Patrone," the dog that killed Kappen, was a littermate of the dog that killed 5-year old Ayden Evans on June 9. Both Coys were found guilty. [source citations]
| Date of death: | November 21, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Bullmastiff-pit bull mix | Relationship to dog: | Non-family |
| Sex of dog: | Male | Owner of dog: | Property owner |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | Off | Criminal charges: | Yes |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Jah'niyah White, 2-years old, died of dog attack injuries. Chicago police were called to the 3300 block of East 91st Street around 2:45 pm for an unresponsive child. She was rushed to Jackson Park Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 3:40 pm. The girl died of multiple injuries inflicted in a dog attack, the Cook County Medical Examiner's office said. Neglect was a contributing factor, and her death was ruled a homicide. The attack occurred at her maternal grandfather's home. Chicago Animal Care and Control seized two dogs from his home. Jah’niyah's family said both dogs were pit bulls, an adult female and her puppy, "Brownie" and "General Chico." Her mother, Kashairah Gardner, said she was "attached to them, and they was attached to her." She never had any concern about the dogs. After her death, members of Jah’niyah's family gathered outside the grandfather's home demanding that he be held accountable for her death. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services opened an investigation over allegations of abuse. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 7, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Female/Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Grandfather |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | Unknown |
Mia Gibson, 3-months old, was killed by two family dogs while her parents slept. Emergency dispatch received a 911 call around 6:45 am from the baby's mother in the 1400 block of Lake Shore Drive in Hidden Lake Condominiums. The infant was pronounced dead at Nationwide Children's Hospital at 7:45 am. Mia was on the couch with her sleeping father when she fell off the couch and was bitten by the dogs, according to Columbus police. Her mother, asleep in the bedroom, was awakened by one of the dogs at the bedroom door. She went into the living room and found her baby on the floor by the couch. She called 911 panicked just before 7:00 am. Police said the baby had no major visible trauma, but did have several puncture wounds on her body. An autopsy conducted by Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak determined Mia died of internal injuries caused by dog bites. The infant was born prematurely and was released from the hospital around Thanksgiving. The family's two shiba inu dogs were taken into custody by Franklin County animal control. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 10, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Shiba inu (2) | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Parents |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Michal Nelson, 41-years old, was killed by one of her pit bulls. The attack occurred around 5:00 pm at the woman's home off Crawford Road in Jarales near Belen, the Valencia County Sheriff's Office said. According to deputies, the woman's son found her body and the dog nearby. He shot and killed the canine. Sheriff's officials said she was inside an outdoor pen trying to break ice water out of a dog bowl when the pit bull attacked. The woman had 12 pit bulls on the property. Deputies said the dogs showed no signs of abuse or any indication they were bred for fighting. At least four were surrendered and euthanized due to exhibiting aggression. The woman's boyfriend, Nicholas Hare, said the couple had possession of the dogs for about the last four years. Hare said they raised more than 300 animals on their property, not for profit or as a rescue, but out of their own desire. Hare called her death a "freak accident," a term long recycled by pit bull owners after a deadly dog attack. Family members said Michal loved all animals, and never turned away a stray. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 13, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | Pit bull | Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | No |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
Thomas Vick, 64-years old, died after trying to break up a fight among his six dogs. Bullhead City police received a 911 call at 5:45 pm from former Bullhead City Mayor Diane Vick saying her husband had been attacked by dogs. Diane was also seriously injured by the dogs. Both were transported to Western Arizona Regional Medical Center, where Vick died of his injuries. His wife was airlifted to Sunrise Hospital and admitted into intensive care. The initial fight began between the couple's German shepherd and cocker spaniel, according to Bullhead City police. Then the couple's boxer, along with their three boxer-mixes, began attacking the cocker spaniel. When Vick intervened to stop the fight, the boxer, "Dempsey," turned on him and began attacking him. At some point, the other four dogs also attacked Vick and his wife, who had intervened to help her husband. The cocker spaniel died of its injuries. While hospitalized, Diane asked that all five remaining dogs be euthanized. Thomas Vick was a beloved teacher who taught social studies at Mohave High School. [source citations]
| Date of death: | December 29, 2013 | Chained: | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breed of dog: | German shepherd (1) Boxer, boxer-mix (4) |
Relationship to dog: | Family |
| Sex of dog: | Unreleased | Owner of dog: | Victim |
| Spay/Neuter: | Unreleased | Multiple dogs: | Yes |
| On/Off property: | On | Criminal charges: | No |
| Breed ID image: | 2013 Fatal Dog Attack Breed Identification Photographs | ||
Deaths involving minor dog bite injury, dog-related caused injury (killed by a car while fleeing a dog) and cases that lacked a "reasonably clear" determination of death after dog bite injury are not included in our fatality statistical data. Deaths involving fatal non-bite injury (struck by dog death) or deaths due to untreated severe dog bites (sepsis) may be added to our statistical data at a future time.
Fatal Pit Bull Attacks: An archive of U.S. fatal pit bull maulings from 1833 to December 2024, maintained by DogsBite.org.
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