2019 dog bite fatalities ::

It often takes several weeks to identify fatal dog attack parameters.1 This is why recent dog bite fatalities may not appear on this page. In the interim, please visit Recent Fatalities at our blog.

2019 dog bite fatality victims

Dianne Reves

70-years old | Grenada County, Mississippi

Dianne Reves, 70-years old, was mauled to death by a pack of loose dogs in her own backyard. Sheriff's deputies responded to a home in the 1600 block of Carpenter Road at 3:30 pm on January 10 after a neighbor discovered Reves dead. Investigators believe the attack happened a day earlier. "We're talking about several hundred dog bites here," Investigator Josh Dale said. Seven mixed-breed dogs, weighing about 80 pounds each, were seized through a warrant from Grenada County Justice Court and taken into custody. They were tested by a veterinarian and later euthanized. The dogs belonged to a neighbor living two houses down. Reves had worked for many years as a nurse in Grenada. Shirley Holiday, Reeves' co-worker and friend, said that Reves retired about 5 years ago. "She was just looking so forward to it. She had plans," Holiday said. As of January 19, 2019 no one has been charged in connection to her death. [source citations]

Date of death:	January 9, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Mixed-breed (7)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Neighbor
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	Pending

Lana Bergman

70-years old | San Bernardino County, California

Lana Bergman, 70-years old, was killed by four pit bulls belonging to guests on her property. At about 10:11 pm, deputies from the Morongo Basin Sheriff's Station responded to a report of a vicious dog attack in the 59000 block of Sunflower Drive. She was first discovered dead by her roommate, Joe Fairbanks, and one of the owner's of the dogs. All four pit bulls were taken into custody. The dogs belong to Stephanie Johnston and her husband, who live in a converted school with their four children. Two weeks before the fatal mauling, the couple parked their bus on Bergman's property and began living there. Lana's brother, Jay Barnett, characterized the dogs' owners as "squatters" who had had overstayed their visit at his sister's home. The day the dogs killed Lana, she left a message on her sister-in-law's phone stating that she had ordered them off her property and that tomorrow "they are being pulled out" and that "they have to leave this premises." The dogs killed her before "tomorrow" arrived. [source citations]

Date of death:	January 16, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull (4)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Guest
Spay/Neuter:	Mixed	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	No

Ed Stanley

85-years old | Amarillo, Texas

Ed Stanley, 85-years old, died two weeks after he was attacked by loose dogs on his driveway. On January 7, Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare responded to a 911 call about a man being attacked by two dogs in the 4400 block of Evelyn Street in Amarillo. "911 was notified that a citizen was being attacked. Police, fire, and EMS, as well as us responded," said Richard Havens, Director of Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare. "His legs were attacked, his face was attacked, his arms were attacked," Havens said. This was not just a dog attack, the man was mauled by a pit bull-mix and shepherd-mix, officials said. Havens said the attack "was definitely headed towards a fatality had it not been for the tremendous nature of this citizen willing to put their life and limb at risk to save another." The next-door neighbor who rushed to help Stanley was never named in the media reports. Both dogs were taken into custody. The District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case for possible criminal charges. [source citations]

Date of death:	January 21, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull-mix and shepherd-mix	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Unknown	Owner of dog:	Neighbor
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	Pending

Patricia Henson

8-months old | Tucson, Arizona

Patricia Henson, 8-months old, was horrifically mauled by a dog while her mother slept. On January 24, Tucson police responded to a home in the 7700 block of East Apple Tree Drive about 1:30 am after receiving a call of an unresponsive child. Police said Henson was extremely intoxicated when they arrived. The baby was found with puncture wounds and scrapes, consistent with injuries caused by a dog. The autopsy report, released in March, stated she "sustained several injuries during the incident, including abrasions, lacerations, contusions, and puncture wounds; absence of soft tissues; hemorrhages; hematomas and lacerations; among other injuries," reported media outlets. The child's mother, Breanna Henson, 30, was arrested and charged with one count of felony child abuse and released into the custody of her parents. Pima County Animal Control confiscated a dog from the home that neighbors said was a German shepherd. As of March 18, 2019, the manner of death is still undetermined. [source citations]

Date of death:	January 24, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	German shepherd	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Unknown	Owner of dog:	Mother
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	Yes

Ashton McGhee

1-year old | Guthrie, Kentucky

Ashton McGhee, 1-year old, was mauled to death by a family pit bull-mix. Guthrie police responded to a home on North Ewing Street where they found a 1-year old boy on the couch, unresponsive, but breathing. The child had "deep abrasions to the head, chest, and neck" from being mauled by the family pit bull-mix, police said. The child's grandmother and great-grandmother suffered injuries while trying to pull the dog off the toddler. The baby had been playing with a ball on the floor when the dog came inside from outdoors. The dog attacked the baby, including breaking the baby's jaw. The baby and grandmother were transported to Tennova Medical Center in Clarksville, where the baby died of his injuries. According to family members, Ashton lived in Hopkinsville, Kentucky with his mother, Miranda McGhee, and his two siblings. Ashton had been playing at his grandparent's home in Guthrie when the dog attacked him. His grandfather told police the dog normally played with the boy calmly. [source citations]

Date of death:	February 7, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull-mix	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Unknown	Owner of dog:	Grandparents
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Elaine Richman

66-years old | Houston, Texas

Elaine Richman, 66-years old, was discovered dead with multiple dog bites. On February 8, about 8:00 am, police performed a welfare check at a home in the 12800 block of Susanna Lane. Richman had not been seen at her dog training classes for two days. Police found Richman dead in her backyard with dog bites on her face, arms and hands. Two Doberman pinschers were located inside the home. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences conducted the autopsy, which showed that Richman died from "sharp force injuries." The manner of death was an accident. The victim's brother, Bruce Richman, said she had trained and showed Dobermans for decades. Richman had been affiliated with a number of different Doberman groups. The two adult dogs, a female and a male, were taken into custody. A Twitter user called the dogs "Mischief & Ranger." Mischief is from Katoba Doberman lines and Ranger is from Northstar Doberman lines. As of August 26, 2019 no other information is known. [source citations]

Date of death:	February 8, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Doberman pinscher (2)	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Victim
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Angela Johnson

54-years old | Anza, California

Angela Johnson, 54-years old, died nearly two months after a violent pit bull mauling. The attack occurred on December 15 as Johnson was hanging laundry in her yard in rural Anza. Riverside County Fire Department said they were called to a home in the 55000 block of Mitchell Road about 9:30 am. Johnson suffered severe bite injuries and was airlifted to a trauma center. "All three [dogs] were pit bulls or pit bull mixes and there is a known owner," John Welsh, a spokesman for Riverside County Department of Animal Services, said. The agency confiscated the dogs; they were euthanized on January 7. The dogs' owner, Jesse Leon Miranda, 61, of Anza, was arrested on an outstanding felony warrant. On December 19, a GoFundMe page for Johnson stated that she remained on life support. The dogs ripped out a "main artery in her throat, causing a severe stroke to the left side of her brain, leaving her half brain dead," her son stated on the page. On February 9, Johnson succumbed to her injuries and died. [source citations]

Date of death:	February 9, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull (3)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Neighbor
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	Pending

Brenda Hamilton

77-years old | Pantego, North Carolina

Brenda Hamilton, 77-years old, was killed by one or more dogs while taking her daily early morning walk. She was discovered in a ditch submerged up to her shoulders in water with catastrophic injuries to both arms, both legs and her scalp. She was transported to Vidant Pitt Hospital where she died three days later. Beaufort County sheriff's investigators initially thought a "bear" inflicted the attack, despite two dogs being at the scene. Those dogs were examined "about an hour after the attack" by deputies and animal control. Both tested positive for trace amounts of human blood on their paws and in their mouth. The DNA lab also located domestic canine mitochondrial DNA on six other items of evidence at the scene. The scientist who tested the samples, "found no evidence for anything besides domestic dog." As of June 9, 2019, county officials are still debating whether a hybrid (coyote or red wolf) was the culprit. Both dogs under suspicion were returned to their owners after a 10-day quarantine. [source citations]

Date of death:	February 18, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Unreleased	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Pending	Owner of dog:	Pending
Spay/Neuter:	Pending	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	No

Nancy Burgess-Dismuke

52-years old | Greenville, South Carolina

Nancy Burgess-Dismuke, 52-years old, suffered horrific injuries and died after a wrestling game with her two dogs turned into a violent attack. Neighbors heard her cries for help and came to her aid. They found one dog latched onto each of her arms tearing into her flesh, "eating her." Denzel Whiteside grabbed a blunt axe and William Long a crankshaft and started striking the dogs. By the time they got the dogs off her, Whiteside said, "One arm was already bit completely off, the other arm was barely hanging on by a piece of meat." She was rushed to Greenville Memorial Hospital where she later died. Senior Deputy Coroner Kent Dill said the victim suffered "multiple, extremely severe, dog bites to her upper extremities resulting in a large volume of blood loss." Katora Strickland, the victim's niece, said the two were inseparable. Strickland stated on social media that one of the boxer-mixes, a male, had attacked Burgess-Dismuke in the past, but her aunt still loved the dog and would not put it down. [source citations]

Date of death:	February 21, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Boxer-mix (2)	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Victim
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Bessie "Jill" Peterson

88-years old | Pall Mall, Tennessee

Bessie "Jill" Peterson, 88-years old, was savagely killed by a pack of dogs belonging to her neighbor. The attack occurred about 5:00 pm in the 100 block of Evans Lane in Pall Mall. Her sister, Nina Brown, 85, witnessed part of the attack. Brown said Jill had gone to the back of her home to clear a drainage ditch. The pack of six mixed-breed dogs came from behind and viciously attacked her. "They dragged her down the yard and all of her clothes were off, her shoes, everything. They tore all of her hair out, the casket can't be open, it's like a nightmare," Brown said. She tried to reach her sister to help, but three of the dogs then charged her. Suffering catastrophic injuries, Jill was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where she died. The sisters had complained to authorities multiple times in the past about these dogs. On August 13, Holland Hugh Evans was indicted and arrested on two felony counts in connection to her death: dogs at large causing death and criminally negligent homicide. [source citations]

Date of death:	February 26, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Mixed-breed (6)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Neighbor
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	Yes

2019 dog bite fatality, fatal pit bull attack, Johnnie Mae Garner

Johnnie Garner

88-years old | Lubbock, Texas

Johnnie Garner, 88-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs belonging to her neighbor. Police responded to the 1800 block of East Colgate Street about 6:30 pm after it was reported that six dogs were attacking an elderly woman. According to the police report, a neighbor told the dogs' owner that his dogs were at large. The owner went into the alley to find them and heard Garner screaming for help. He found his dogs attacking her. The dogs' owner jumped the fence to help, but his own "pack of dogs" then charged him. The owner was able to call 911. Garner was transported to Covenant Health where she later died. Steven Greene, director of Lubbock Animal Services, said his agency responded and impounded the dogs. Greene described all six dogs as pit bull-mixes. They were euthanized at the owner's request. In the City of Lubbock, no residence shall harbor more than four adult dogs on their property. On March 8, Courtney White, 47, was charged with a second-degree felony in connection to her death. [source citations]

Date of death:	February 27, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull-mix (6)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Neighbor
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	Yes

Jacari Long

6-months old | Salisbury, North Carolina

Jacari Long, 6-months old, was killed by his babysitter's dog while under her care at her home. The attack occurred about 2:20 pm at 716 Wilson Road. The babysitter, who is the child's godmother, sat the child down in the living room in a car seat while she went outside to clean the backseat of her car to make room for the baby. She heard her mother scream and ran back inside, where she found her dog attacking the baby. The babysitter and her mother rushed the child to Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. He was then airlifted to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where he died. Police were not notified until after the child had been airlifted. "It was very horrific," said Lt. Greg Beam with Salisbury Police. "Especially for the first responders, the hospital staff involved," he said. Rowan County Animal Control took custody of the dog, a 4-year old male pit bull-boxer mix, named King. Shelter staff said the dog had displayed aggressive behavior at the facility. The dog was later put down. [source citations]

Date of death:	March 5, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull-boxer mix	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Male	Owner of dog:	Babysitter
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	Pending

Tanner Kinnamon

2-years old | High Springs, Florida

Tanner Kinnamon, 2-years old, was killed by two dogs while under the care of his grandmother. The attack occurred at a home on Northwest 210th Avenue, where the grandmother's daughter resides. The child was the son of a second daughter. The grandmother often tended to her daughter's six pit bull-type dogs, all described as "rescues," while her daughter was at work. Two of the dogs were let out in the yard. The child went out to play and the grandmother went inside. When she returned, "there were no dogs and no boy," Lt. Brett Rhodenizer of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office said. She heard sounds from a shed behind the home, where she found the dogs attacking the child. She tried to rescue the boy and sustained "traumatic" injuries. Ed Williams, director of Alachua County Animal Services, said the six dogs were "housed in large, clean crates in multiple rooms." This indicates a crate-and-rotate multi-pit bull household, where the crated dogs cannot be kept in the same room. No charges are anticipated. [source citations]

Date of death:	March 8, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull-mix (1) American bulldog-mix (1)	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Aunt
Spay/Neuter:	Yes	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Jimmy Grigg

53-years old | Galveston County, Texas

Jimmy Grigg, 53-years old, died after being attacked by three dogs belonging to a relative. The attack occurred in the 5600 block of Highland Road in the unincorporated area of Santa Fe in Galveston County. Police responded to the home after a 911 call by the victim's brother, saying Grigg had been attacked by the dogs and could be dead. The victim died en route to Mainland Medical Center. Grigg was on his family's property when the dogs attacked him, Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said. The cause of death was ruled to be blood loss from the dog attack. Katie Ewing, a neighbor, said she had filed several complaints with animal control about the dogs. "Every morning for a good month straight it sounded like there was like dog fights going on," Ewing said. Galveston County Animal Resource Center seized three dogs. Multiple county agencies described the dog breeds involved differently -- from all being "mixed-breeds" to all being "cattle dog-mixes" and a "heeler and mastiff-mix." [source citations]

Date of death:	March 13, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pending	Relationship to dog:	Pending
Sex of dog:	Pending	Owner of dog:	Relative
Spay/Neuter:	Pending	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	Pending

Jaysiah Chavez

2-years old | Fresno, California

Jaysiah Chavez, 2-years old, was brutally killed by a pair of roaming rottweilers. Officers were dispatched to a home in the 5900 block of East Kaviland Avenue about 11:00 am and found the boy suffering severe dog bites. He was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Police said the child had wandered out of the family's home into the front yard where the dogs attacked him. Other children in the home alerted the grandmother to the attack and she rushed outside. She tried to intervene, but the dogs attacked her too. The boy's grandfather was able to stop the attack. Investigators said the rottweilers dug a hole under the owner's fence that morning, ran through a neighbor's yard, crossed a street then attacked the boy. A neighbor of the rottweilers' owner, Theresa Davis, said the dogs had been in the neighborhood for eight or nine years and had a history of digging themselves out. Both rottweilers were euthanized. No criminal charges were filed. [source citations]

Date of death:	March 22, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Rottweiler (2)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Unknown	Owner of dog:	Neighbor
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	No

Johana Villafane

33-years old | Irving, Texas

Johana Villafane, 33-years old, was mauled to death by her own two pit bulls. The attack happened while Villafane was visiting her dogs in quarantine at O'Connor Animal Hospital due to biting a man eight days earlier. Villafane had to board her dogs at the private facility because the Irving Animal Shelter's quarantine space was "at capacity." Dr. James Kang, DVM, the veterinarian at the animal hospital, issued a statement afterward stating that Villafane's pit bulls were so aggressive his staff could not walk them. He told Villafane his clinic could not keep her dogs due to their aggressive behavior, unless she came and walked them twice a day. On March 23, Villafane went to clinic to perform this. She took her dogs into the backyard exercise area, where they brutally attacked her. It was 35 minutes before an employee saw her bloody body in the grass. An Irving police officer arrived and shot and killed both dogs. Villafane's male and female pit bulls were about 1-year old; the female was pregnant at the time. [source citations]

Date of death:	March 23, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull (2)	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Victim
Spay/Neuter:	No	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	No

Kyna DeShane

15-months old | Henderson, Nevada

Kyna DeShane, 15-months old, was mauled to death by a rottweiler while visiting her grandfather's home in Henderson. The deadly attack occurred in the 100 block of Appian Way just before 8:00 am. Police officers, animal control officials and the Henderson Fire Department responded to the home near Horizon Drive and Pacific Avenue. Officers arrived to find a 15-month old girl with life-threatening injuries inflicted by a rottweiler. She was transported to Henderson Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The 4-year old rottweiler belonged to a friend of the child's family. Her grandfather, identified only as "Richard," told a local news outlet afterward that she had been around large dogs, including this rottweiler in the past. Animal control officers took the rottweiler into custody. It was euthanized "per the owner's request," police said. The Clark County Coroner's Office determined she died of "multiple injuries from a mauling." The manner of death was ruled accidental. Kyna was a resident of Ely, Nevada. [source citations]

Date of death:	April 27, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Rottweiler	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Unknown	Owner of dog:	Family friend
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Isaiah Geiling

2-years old | Louisville, Kentucky

Isaiah Geiling, 2-years old, was attacked and killed by a family pit bull. Police responded to a home in the 3800 block of Grand Avenue about reports of a child in the mouth of a pit bull, according to dispatch records. Officers performed CPR on the boy before the ambulance arrived. Audio dispatch logs from Louisville Fire stated the boy was "bitten by a pit bull in the head. Heavy bleeding." He was transported to Norton Children's Hospital, where he died. The Jefferson Country coroner listed the cause of death as blunt force injuries. The boy's maternal grandmother, Cynthia Coy, said the pit bull had bitten Isaiah three weeks earlier. She provided a photograph of his dog bite injury too. In July, the dog's owners, Jack Charpring Jr., 50, and Sharon Charpring, 53, were charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection to his death. The boy's mother, Jennifer Geiling, 25, was charged with reckless homicide. Prosecutors said the Charprings and Geilings were not related, but lived together at the same home. [source citations]

Date of death:	May 2, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Male	Owner of dog:	Roommate
Spay/Neuter:	No	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	Yes

Christine Liquori

52-years old | Fort Pierce, Florida

Christine Liquori , 52-years old, was savagely killed by a pit bull-mix while volunteering at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County. Police responded to the facility about 2:15 pm for a report of a dog bite. They found Liquori dead in an outdoor fenced play yard next to the facility. The medical examiner's office said the cause of death was severe blood loss due to dog bites. After police concluded their investigation, they released more details. Liquori was fatally mauled by a pit bull-mix, named Amos. Liquori had arrived at the shelter at about noon. She was found dead by a volunteer about 2:00 pm after he noticed that Amos was not in his kennel. Liquori had "several lacerations and puncture marks to her right arm" and severe injuries to her face -- it was covered in blood, according to the police report. The 911 caller told the dispatcher Liquori suffered traumatic injuries. "She's mutilated," the caller said. "And she's dead." Amos was available for adoption when it killed Liquori. The dog was quickly euthanized. [source citations]

Date of death:	May 9, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull-mix	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Male	Owner of dog:	Humane society
Spay/Neuter:	No	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Ryan Hazel

14-years old | Dighton, Massachusetts

Ryan Hazel, 14-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs at a home on Maple Swamp Road while their owner was away. There were 11 adult dogs on the property and 9 puppies. Five dogs -- four Belgian malinois and one Dutch shepherd -- were loose during the attack. The property and attacking dogs belong to Scott Dunmore, 49, who is a professional dog trainer and highly regarded in "Schutzhund," a competitive sport for protection dogs. Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn III said that Ryan regularly cared for the dogs when Dunmore was away. On the day of the attack, Ryan's grandmother drove him to the property and waited in the car while he completed his tasks. When he did not return in 45 minutes, she called his parents. His parents quickly contacted a neighbor to check on Ryan who found him suffering from "traumatic injuries." He was pronounced dead at the scene. Ryan was a student at Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School where he played football and ran track. [source citations]

Date of death:	May 9, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Belgian malinois (4) Dutch shepherd (1)	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Unknown	Owner of dog:	Dog trainer
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

2019 dog bite fatality, fatal dog attack, Robert Joseph Quick

Robert "Joe" Quick

33-years old | Fort Madison, Iowa

Robert Quick, 33-years old, died after being attacked by a dog. When Fort Madison Police Department responded to a dog attack at 102 Avenue C, they found a large dog attacking a man in the front yard. Officers fired on the dog, killing it, to stop the attack. Then they encountered Joe, lying in the doorway of the home suffering from bite injuries. Joe told officers to first help his 5-year old daughter, who had been attacked in the face by the dog. All told, the dog -- described as a male, brown boxer-mix -- attacked two adult men and a child. All three victims were transported to Fort Madison Community Hospital, where Quick was pronounced dead. The dog did not belong to any of the victims, but was being watched by occupants of the home on Avenue C for a family member. Joe's mother, Deb Newman, said that he died of a heart attack, but he also suffered traumatic injuries in the dog attack, including jugular vein bites in the left-hand side of his neck. As of June 18, 2019, the coroner has not issued cause of death. [source citations]

Date of death:	May 31, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Boxer-American bulldog mix	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Male	Owner of dog:	Relative of tenant
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	Pending

Crystal Pearigen

36-years old | Bakersfield, California

Crystal Pearigen, 36-years old, was found dead in a Costco parking lot off of Rosedale Highway after being killed by three dogs. A passerby discovered her body with "obvious" signs of trauma. Two of the dogs, a pit bull and mixed-breed, belonged to a nearby business owner. The third dog, also a pit bull, was a stray, police confirmed. The attack began in a commercial area adjacent to the Costco lot shared by several businesses. As it continued, Pearigen fled into the Costco lot, where she died. When officials located the dogs, investigators said that bloodstains and aggressiveness were indicators they were involved. The coroner ruled the cause of death to be "multiple injuries." Pearigen led a tragic life, according to Jennie Greene, who raised Pearigen's only child. Her mother was murdered when she was a teenager. Afterward, she interacted with CPS, foster care and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. Greene told a media outlet that the coroner "recommended absolutely no viewing of any kind." [source citations]

Date of death:	June 16, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull (2) Mixed-breed (1)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Business owner
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	No

Nicholas Farris

2-years old | Newman, California

Nicholas Farris, 2-years old, was fatally mauled by a family dog. The Newman Police Department and Emergency Medical Services were dispatched just after 2:00 pm to a home in the 1900 block of Pine Street for a report of a dog attack. Arriving responders found a 2-year old boy who had been attacked by a family dog in the backyard. He was transported to Emmanuel Medical Center in Turlock, where he was pronounced dead. The dog involved was a pit bull-mastiff cross, according to a Stanislaus County Sheriff's news release. Newman Animal Services took the animal into custody and is holding it in quarantine. Neighbors of the little boy told media outlets the dog was aggressive and even broke through a post on their shared fence a few weeks earlier. Alejandra Hernandez had to put up a reinforcement board to repair the fence. Hernandez said the dog nearly bit his grandmother, Julie Hernandez, and that she was fearful of the large dog. As of July 5, 2019, no other information has been released. [source citations]

Date of death:	June 27, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull-mastiff mix	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Male	Owner of dog:	Mother
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Maria Crawford

54-years old | Ventura, California

Maria Crawford, 54-years old died of "dog bite wounds of the head, neck and leg" on June 28, 2019, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. The manner of death was ruled an accident. The attacking dog(s) were family dogs belonging to the victims' daughter. One of the dogs named "Kai" ("Kai" depicted left and "Havoc" on right) had attacked Crawford two times in the six months leading up to the fatal dog mauling. On March 19, 2019, just three months earlier, that violent attack severed her right ear. As of August 26, 2019 we continue to wait on a public records request response from Ventura County Animal Services. [source citations]

Brian Butler

46-years old | Gilbertsville, Kentucky

Brian Butler, 46-years old, was discovered dead on the side of McCoy Lane, near Gilbertsville Highway. Marshall County Animal Control impounded two pit bulls located in the area of Butler's body. An autopsy conducted at the Western Kentucky Regional Medical Examiners Office determined the cause of death to be "sharp force trauma from a dog attack." Butler's sister, Cheryl Roberts, said that he was homeless and down on his luck; he would sleep on couches in the neighborhood. Butler was also familiar with these pit bulls. "He slept with them dogs," Roberts explained. Two days after the attack, animal control seized a third pit bull from the area. On July 3, Kentucky State Police arrested Daniel Kai Alexander, 29, of Gilbertsville on a felony arrest warrant in connection to Butler's death. The investigation showed that Alexander, who owns the three pit bulls, tampered with evidence at the scene. Alexander also had knowledge of Butler's body on McCoy Lane and did not contact the proper authorities. [source citations]

Date of death:	June 29, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull (3)	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Male (3)	Owner of dog:	Neighbor
Spay/Neuter:	No	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	Yes

Melvin Olds Jr.

45-years old | Lake Placid, Florida

Melvin Olds, Jr., 45-years old, was discovered dead on the Fourth of July with injuries indicative of a dog attack. The attack occurred after Olds took a shortcut in a wooded area in his Highway Park neighborhood. He was never seen alive again. The Highlands County Sheriff's Office, the District 10 Medical Examiner and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission determined the preliminary cause of death were injuries suffered in an animal attack. No wounds other than those caused by dogs were found on Olds' body -- a July 5 autopsy confirmed this. Over 100 dog bites were found on his body. Highlands County Animal Services officers set traps and began patrolling the area, looking for loose dogs. Six dogs were captured and their bite size matched the wounds on Olds body. WFLA-TV reported that all six dogs are pit bull-mixes. DNA from the dogs will be compared to DNA collected from the wounds to make a final determination of the dogs involved. The owner of the attacking dogs is unknown. [source citations]

Date of death:	July 4, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull-mixes (6)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Unknown
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	No

Ruth Flores

3-weeks old | Gainesville, Georgia

Ruth Flores, 3-weeks old, was bitten on the head and killed by a family dog. Just before 2:00 pm, Hall County sheriff's deputies responded to a home in the 2900 block of Gillsville Highway for a report of a dog bite to a 22-day old baby girl. "The incident occurred inside the home, in a bedroom where the infant was resting," states a release from the Hall County Sheriff's Office. She was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with serious injuries, where she died. Hall County Animal Control took custody of the dog, which belonged to the family at the residence. The infant's mother was home when the family's 2-year old husky attacked the sleeping baby in a bedroom, Lt. Chris Dale, said. "Other dogs in crates" were also at the family's home at the time. No other children were in the home at the time of the attack, Dale said. The next day, news footage captured three dogs in the front window of the family's home -- two huskies and a white dog with wavy hair. Hall County sheriff's officials declined to file charges. [source citations]

Date of death:	July 9, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Husky	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Unknown	Owner of dog:	Grandmother
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Homer Utterback

52-years old | Uniontown, Pennsylvania

Homer Utterback, 52-years old, was brutally killed by his own pit bull of 10 years. Police and EMS were called to a home in the 100 block of Park Avenue about 1:00 am. Utterback's girlfriend told police she heard something fall. She got up to see what the noise was and found Utterback on the floor with the dog biting his neck. Utterback was already dead by the time EMS arrived, police said. Archives of the Fayette County Fire and EMS audio feed captured their response. "Patient had a seizure," dispatch states. "As he was doing so, a pit bull attacked him. He has a hole in his head and his neck." Investigators said Utterback suffered from seizures. They believe he had an episode and fell out of bed then the dog fatally attacked him. Utterback's girlfriend told officers the male pit bull, Petey, was their pet for a decade and was Utterback's "best friend." The Utterback household also had at least four more pit bulls -- all offspring of Petey. It's unknown if family members will keep the remaining "pack" of younger pit bulls. [source citations]

Date of death:	July 11, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Male	Owner of dog:	Victim
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Mario Moore

40-years old | Memphis, Tennessee

Mario Moore, 40-years old, died after being attacked by a pack of dogs. Police responded to a call just after 2:00 am at the intersection of East Belle Haven and Meadowbrook. When officers arrived, they observed his body covered in lacerations. Multiple aggressive dogs were located across the street. Moore was transported in critical condition to Regional One Medical Center, where he later died. Memphis Animal Services (MAS) eventually took custody of eight dogs. After his death, two women said that loose dogs in that neighborhood had attacked them too. Sherry Pruitt said she was attacked by the same dogs on May 7. She warned the city about the dogs three weeks before they killed Moore in an email. MAS replied to her via email 15 minutes later requesting more information, but Pruitt did not respond. MAS released photographs of two dogs, a mixed-breed and a pit bull-mix, that were involved in both Moore's and Pruitt's attack. As of July 25, 2019, no other information has been released. [source citations]

Date of death:	July 18, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Mixed breed (1) Pit bull-mix (1) Unreleased (6)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Neighbor
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	Pending

Nelson Cabrera

16-years old | Irving, Texas

Nelson Cabrera, 16-years old, was attacked by three pit bulls secured in their owner's backyard. Irving police received reports of the attack about 4:45 am in the 800 block of East Third Street. Arriving officers jumped the fence and tried to stop the attack by placing themselves between the teenager and the dogs, firing on the pit bulls in the process. Cabrera was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he later died. Guillermo Lorenzo, who owned the pit bulls, told media outlets, "He has no right to be in [my] yard." Lorenzo claimed his dogs were "doing their job" by protecting him. Four pit bull puppies were also seen at Lorenzo's home. Univision, a Spanish speaking news outlet, reported that Cabrera had been staying at Lorenzo's home for a few days. "The young man had stayed a few days in his house due to a favor he wanted to do to the minor. However, the owner of the house had canceled access to the property due to alleged problems that dragged the child," states the Google translation. [source citations]

Date of death:	August 10, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull (3)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Tenant
Spay/Neuter:	No	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Emma Hernandez

9-years old | Detroit, Michigan

Emma Hernandez, 9-years old, was killed by three pit bulls while riding her bike in an alley behind her home. The attack occurred about 4:00 pm near the intersection of Central Avenue and Smart Street. Neighbors rushed to help, including Edward Cruz, who threw a brick at the dogs causing them to flee. Another bystander started firing on the dogs, striking one pit bull. Detroit Deputy Fire Commissioner Dave Fornell said, "We were performing EMS under gunfire," at the scene. She was rushed to Children's Hospital of Michigan, where she was pronounced dead. The girl's father, Armando Hernandez, said that he recently warned the owner of the dogs that his fence was too flimsy to hold the dogs. "We had an argument about it just last week," Hernandez said. "He could have prevented this," Hernandez said. On August 22, Wayne County prosecutors charged Pierre Cleveland, 33, with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and possessing dangerous animals causing a person's death. [source citations]

Date of death:	August 19, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull (3)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Neighbor
Spay/Neuter:	No	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	Off	Criminal charges:	Yes

2019 dog bite fatality, fatal pit bull attack, pit bull mastiff

Adrieanna O'Shea

19-years old | Knox County, Tennessee

Adrieanna O'Shea, 19-years old, was brutally attacked by a pack of dogs. She died while hospitalized one week later. On August 23, at 1:52 pm, the Knox County Sheriff's Office responded to a home in the 6500 block of Crescent Drive. A witness told deputies O'Shea had come to her home to pick up her purse, after leaving it there the night before. The witness said she heard O'Shea say "No Boscoe!" then began screaming, "Help me!" The witness ran to her door and saw "all five dogs attacking" O'Shea. Deputies shot and killed one of the dogs. The landlord and owner of the dogs, Rodnee Herald, lives in a mobile home adjacent to the witness. When Herald arrived at the scene, she told deputies "the dogs were doing their jobs." She described the dogs as one male mastiff, two male mastiff-mixes, one male rottweiler-mix and one female pit bull. An electrical fence that was not buried contained the dogs. Herald called the attack a "freak accident" and surrendered her four remaining dogs to be put down. [source citations]

Date of death:	August 30, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Mastiff, mastiff-mix (3) Rottweiler-mix (1) Pit bull (1)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Mixed	Owner of dog:	Landlord
Spay/Neuter:	Mixed	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	Pending

Arlene Renna

67-years old | Pleasant Valley, New York

Arlene Renna, was killed by her two coonhounds. New York State Police and Pleasant Valley Fire Department EMS were dispatched to a home on Barkit Kennel Road for a report of a woman with life-threatening injuries. Renna had been found unconscious on the living room floor of her home by her husband after he arrived home. Dispatch logs from Southern Dutchess County Fire Departments and DC911 stated this was a "priority 1" call and that "CPR is in progress." Renna died at the scene from her injuries. The investigation by New York State Police determined the wounds and circumstances were "consistent with a dog attack." No indications of foul play were discovered. The Dutchess County Medical Examiner and the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office also responded to the scene to assist with the investigation. Police did not release identification photographs of the dogs. A 2012 photograph of her husband with a redbone coonhound was later located by our nonprofit on her daughter's Facebook page. [source citations]

Date of death:	September 7, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Coonhound (2)	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Unknown	Owner of dog:	Victim
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

2019 dog bite fatality, fatal pit bull attack, Doug Flores

Baby "Doug" Doe

13-months old | Granite Bay, California

Baby "Doug" Doe, 13-months old, was killed by a family pit bull while under the care of a babysitter. Police were dispatched to a home in the 4700 block of Olive Ranch Road just after 3:00 pm. The attack occurred in the living room of the home and was unprovoked, according to the sheriff's department. The child was under the care of a female relative who was in "very close proximity" with the child when the dog attacked. The babysitter was able to get the boy away from the dog and called 911. The baby was rushed to Sutter Roseville Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. "The adult was with the baby when the attack occurred and didn't appear to hint at anything that the attack was coming," said Sheriff's Lt. Andrew Scott. Placer County Animal Control took the 6-year old female pit bull into custody. In July of 2015, the baby's parents created an Instagram page for their pit bull named "Bella." Other social media pages show the parents had raised Bella from a puppy starting in 2013. [source citations]

Date of death:	September 20, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Female	Owner of dog:	Parents
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Alan Bruce

56-years old | Bennington, Oklahoma

Alan Bruce, 56-years old, was brutally attacked by three dogs while trying to visit an acquaintance at a home in the 400 block of Nail Street. The dogs' owner was away at the time. Bruce was not found until an hour later, investigators said. Arriving officers shot and killed one of the dogs, causing the other two to flee, police said. "He had severe trauma, bite marks to his trunk and head and arms with just massive trauma," Bennington Police Chief James Heil said. "It was the most gruesome thing I've ever seen in 18 years of law enforcement." Bruce was driven to AllianceHealth in Durant then airlifted to a hospital in Plano, where he died of his injuries two days later. The attacking dogs, two pit bulls and one pit bull-mix, belong to Michael Wright. The same dogs had gotten loose two days earlier and attacked a 14-year old boy. A month earlier, the dogs had gotten loose and attacked a young girl, sending her to an emergency room. The district attorney will determine if criminal charges are brought against Wright. [source citations]

Date of death:	September 30, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull (2) and pit bull-mix (1)	Relationship to dog:	Non-family
Sex of dog:	Unknown	Owner of dog:	Acquaintance
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	Pending

Morgan Crayton

31-years old | Hampton, Virginia

Morgan Crayton, 31-years old, was attacked in the throat by her pit bull and died as a result of her injuries the next day. On September 29, at about 5:13 pm, emergency responders were dispatched to a home in the 100 block of Powhatan Parkway. Arriving officers discovered an injured female, who had been attacked by her own dog. "The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries," states a release issued by the Hampton Police Department. Crayton was in her backyard with multiple dogs when the attack occurred. A 68-year old family member was also attacked by the dog while trying to render first aid to Crayton. The attacking dog, a 92-pound male pit bull named "Chopper," was taken into custody by Hampton Animal Control. Police estimated the dog was at least 2-years old. George Thomas, who lives across the street, said that Crayton and her partner had owned the dog for about nine months. Crayton leaves behind a devastated daughter, partner and family members. [source citations]

Date of death:	September 30, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Pit bull	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Male	Owner of dog:	Victim
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	No
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Steven Thornton III

3-years old | Louisville, Kentucky

Steven Thornton III, 3-years old, was killed by two rottweilers that were kept in the family's backyard. Police said the boy climbed through an open bedroom window while the rest of his family slept. After Steven got outside during the overnight hours, the dogs in the backyard attacked him, according to Lt. Emily McKinley of Louisville Metro Police's homicide unit. Police did not say when his parents found him, but officers were dispatched to the family's home on Brenda Drive just after 9:00 am. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office determined the cause of death was "injuries consistent with dog attack." Authorities confiscated both dogs. Louisville Metro Animal Services spokeswoman Teeya Barnes said LMAS would not release a photo of the dogs or provide comment "out of respect for the victim and the grieving family." Sylvia Turner, who lives next door and knows the family, indicated the dogs had not been at the family's home for long. No criminal charges are expected. [source citations]

Date of death:	October 1, 2019	Chained:	No
Breed of dog:	Rottweiler-mix (2)	Relationship to dog:	Family
Sex of dog:	Male/Unknown	Owner of dog:	Parents
Spay/Neuter:	Unknown	Multiple dogs:	Yes
On/Off property:	On	Criminal charges:	No

Additional victims - excluded

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 death due to untreated severe dog bites (sepsis) may be added to our data at a future time.

03/08/19: John Doe, 30s (Lubbock, TX)
05/28/19: John Simpson, 52-years old (Jackson County, OR)
07/09/19: Freddie Mack, 57-years old (Johnson County, TX)

Citations

DogsBite.org contains verifiable information about U.S. citizens killed by dogs including the name and age of each victim, location of attack, dog breed and up to 25 other factors. Our Fatality Citations section documents sources used in our dog bite fatality research. Learn more about our data collection method, which includes collecting breed identification photographs, police and coroner reports in certain cases, legal filings, court filings, legislative materials and more.