2013 Fatal Dog Mauling Image of the Year: The Funeral of Ryan Maxwell

The Register-Mail

DogsBite.org - On March 2, Ryan Maxwell, 7-years old, was horrifically killed by a pet pit bull in Galesburg, Illinois while visiting family friends. This jarring image published by the Journal Star shows the finality of a fatal pit bull mauling.1 The Register-Mail had extensive coverage of Ryan's death and the 9-month aftermath of the Galesburg community trying to pass a stronger dog ordinance. The final revised ordinance is an indignity that would not have prevented his death.

2013 Fatal Dog Mauling Image of the Year Runners-Up:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's photographic coverage of Beau Rutledge. The 2-year old boy was killed by his family's pet pit bull in April (Fulton County, GA).
The Chicago Tribune's video montage in the aftermath of Jah'Niyah White's death. She was fatally injured by her grandfather's pit bulls in December (Cook County, IL).
The haunting Los Angeles Times photograph of Ben Devitt. His wife, Pamela Devitt, was savagely killed by a pack of loose pit bulls in May (Los Angeles County, CA).

1Ryan's closed casket funeral service was held on March 7, 2013 at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Chapel in Galesburg.