2013 Dog Bite Fatality: Spanaway Woman Attacked by Pit Bulls Dies from Injuries

Cause of Death
UPDATE 11/07/13: The Seattle Times reported earlier today that the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office said 65-year old Nga Woodhead died of a heart attack brought on by "extremity contusions, lacerations and fractures due to dog bites." The Pierce County Sheriff's Department plans to recommend prosecutors file criminal charges against the owner of the pit bulls, Santiago Quecada. "They were his dogs," spokesman Ed Troyer said, "They should have been locked up."

On October 30, Nga was on her daily walk, about a mile from her Spanaway home, when the two pit bulls began attacking, her husband Charles Woodhead said. "She didn’t see the dogs coming. They ran up behind her and attacked," he said. Charles was with his wife in her hospital room on Tuesday when her heart stopped. The couple had been married for 41-years. Their 42nd wedding anniversary was Wednesday; the day the medical examiner's office released her cause of death.

"I’m sad and mad. I’m mad at an owner who has two pit bulls who should have known better." - Charles Woodhead

While under attack by the dogs, Nga was able to call her husband from her cellphone, but she could not tell him where she was. It was a passerby who tried to help Nga that got on the line and gave Charles their location. He arrived on scene minutes after the attack as medics were loading her into an ambulance. Her right arm was shredded and bruises covered her body, he said. The couple met in 1970 when he was stationed in the Air Force in South Vietnam during the war.

Nga Woodhead, 65, is the 375th American killed by pit bulls since we began the Archival Record. 

11/06/13: Autopsy Underway
Spanaway, WA - A 65-year old woman attacked by two pit bulls on October 30 has died of her injuries, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. Nga Woodhead of Spanaway was attacked by two loose pit bulls as she walked down Pacific Avenue South. The animals jumped on her, knocked her into a ditch and began to horribly maul her. A 52-year old man who tried to save her was also badly bitten. Another passerby shot and hit one of the pit bulls causing it to run away.

After the vicious attack, the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office began looking into charges against the dogs' owner, Santiago Quezada who lives just down the street from where the incident occurred. Quezada said he didn't know how the dogs got out of his fenced yard and claimed then, "They're really nice dogs. They were raised with a family, with kids." Quezada also tellingly said, "I just want to say I feel really sorry about the people. And we're going to fix things, you know."

Fix severe pit bull mauling injuries, how? Fix a woman's death, how?

According to the victim's husband Chuck Woodhead, his wife died suddenly at the hospital where she was taken after the severe attack. He said he was in her room getting ready to be released from the hospital Tuesday when she lost consciousness. Doctors tried to revive her, but were unsuccessful. An autopsy is currently underway. Her husband also told Komo News that he was told by animal control that Pierce County will pursue criminal charges against the dogs' owner.

Related articles:
08/16/13: Washington State Court of Appeals Upholds Jury Verdict in Vicious Dog Mauling Case
08/18/11: After $2.2 Million Award, Dog Bite Victim Sue Gorman Says System is Still Flawed
02/27/09: Spanaway Pit Bull Attack Victim Files Lawsuit; Appears on Discovery Channel

Photo: Komonews.com