Jacqueline Robinson, 32-years old, died after being attacked by dogs in Laurens County.
Dog Owner Arrested
UPDATE 10/02/20: Just after we listened to the long telephone interview with the victim's father, John Robinson, we learned that an arrest has been made. "They tore her up. They tore her all to pieces," Robinson said during the interview. "I want justice for Jacqueline." Today, Jeffrey Sullivan, the alleged owner of the dogs involved in the death of 32-year old Jacqueline Robinson, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and three counts of possession of a dangerous animal.
"This is such a tragic, senseless death," Laurens County Sheriff Don Reynolds stated. "My thoughts and prayers go to Ms. Robinson’s family. I pray that justice is served and that her family feels some peace knowing that this individual believed to be responsible is being held accountable for his reckless actions." After her death, multiple dogs were removed from the property. Police officials have not released the breed of dog involved, but Robinson stated the dogs are pit bulls.
Reporter: Tell me a little bit about your daughter.
John Robinson: First of all, to me, she is as beautiful as an angel. She never wants to see anybody go hungry. If she met you, made friends with you, she's got a lot of people, you are automatically her family. You know, she made friends real easy. She treated everybody with respect. Even when I would talk to her she would say yes or no sir. She just, I pray...she was just a beautiful baby girl. She would never want to hurt anyone or see anyone hurt or go without. She would welcome you into her home. And you know, she just lived life with a beautiful smile. She was happy in any way she could. She'd give you her shirt off her back. You know. She was a good mother. She loved her kids. She'd go to the last mile for her kids. She just was a great kid when she was young. And growing up, she loved to ride the horses. She loved animals. And she was a dog groomer.
You know, I just can't believe that she had to suffer a death like this. It is horrible. This is tragic. She did not deserve it. The owners of these dogs need to pay in more ways than one. Because my baby's death. You're responsible for your pets. I don't know how it is...well I talked to a deputy. He told me the laws are different in South Carolina. You let pit bulls run loose?
In the state of Kentucky, a dog, a pit bull is almost extinct -- they don't like them here. But you have to have a vicious dog. A killer is what they are. On a chain and in a fenced in yard. These dogs were running loose. He got a hold of my baby. Three of them and killed my baby. Destroyed my baby. Destroyed my life. Destroyed her mother's life. This is Mary Ann Robinson. Two beautiful kids. Cameron Blake Gamble…Cameron is 15. Destiny Nicole Gamble. She's 11 and will be 12 on October 17. And they have to bury their mother for absolutely no reason. She just had a birthday. We celebrated her birthday -- 32 years old. Too young. Too young. Her life has been snatched away. She's supposed to bury me, not me burying my daughter.
I want the laws changed. I will go to my last breath. Talk to a senator or whoever I have to, to get those laws changed, and I want it named after my daughter, called Jacqueline's Law. I'm going to do everything possible to make sure that my daughter's death doesn't go in vain. I want something done in South Carolina about these dogs. I want charges on these people that own these dogs. They should already been in jail. They would have been in jail in the state of Kentucky. They should already be locked up.
My beautiful little angel. She's gone. I've got to bury her. I will do everything in my power for my baby. She's in heaven looking down on me. I can't let her death go without justice.
Reporter: No charges have been filed at all at this point?
John Robinson: Not to my knowledge. I talked to the deputies, I don't know how many times yesterday, and they said it's an ongoing investigation. They got to meet something, like criteria or elements. You know, it doesn't make sense. I mean, it's not like these dogs attacked another dog and killed it. Or a cat and killed it. These dogs killed a human being. They killed my baby girl -- killed her. These people ought to be charged with murder because they are responsible for their dogs. No charges have been brought. And I don't understand why. Nobody has been punished for this. It is my understanding that they have the dogs that killed her in quarantine…they are supposed to swab them and...you know. But no. Nobody has been arrested. Nobody has been made responsible for these dogs and for the death of my baby girl.
Reporter: My thoughts and prayers. I'm so sorry...
John Robinson: We're lost. I can't wrap my arms around it. Mary Ann, her mother, she's just 12 pieces…Out of her mind, like me. I can't, I can't comprehend this. This is wrong. It's tragic. She should never had to go through the pain of a pit bull -- or any dog -- attacking her and ripping her throat. I mean they tore her up. Tore her all to pieces. Just think of the pain my daughter went through. And nobody has been made to pay for this? This is wrong! This is wrong! I want justice for Jacqueline Nicole Robinson. My beautiful daughter. My baby girl. I want justice. I will not stop until I get justice. Somebody is going to pay. - John Robinson
We will address a few points the grieving father made. Since 2005, only 20% of fatal dog attacks have resulted in criminal charges. That this same attack would quickly result in criminal charges in Kentucky is untrue. There are jurisdictions in Kentucky with breed-specific laws that can file charges more easily because prosecutors do not have to prove the owner had "knowledge" of the dog's vicious propensities (the ordinance already declares pit bulls dangerous or vicious).
The definition of a fatal pit bull mauling is always an extremely violent attack. Ripping out the victim's throat, severing the carotid artery, breaking the cervical spine, tearing off the full scalp and ears, and tearing out "chunks of flesh" -- wounds with massive soft tissue loss -- are injuries common in fatal pit bull attacks. These horrendous injuries, compared to shark attack injuries in medical journals, are even more horrific when there is more than one pit bull involved.
Only three states have felony dog attack statutes that are in consistent use: California, Michigan and Texas. Otherwise, to the horror of this grieving father, these barbaric maulings on public streets and within residential alleyways by recognized dangerous dog breeds continue to be tolerated by state policymakers. They cannot even be bothered to enact a felony dog attack statute. In South Carolina, involuntary manslaughter carries a sentence of up to five years.
Finally, during 2019 and 2020 a modest attempt was made in the South Carolina legislature to reign in the pit bull problem. House Bill 3709 essentially sought to have all pit bulls sterilized to bring their population numbers down and microchipped for identification purposes. All persons breeding pit bulls would be required to register and microchip their dogs. The bill never made it out of the House Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.
"Whereas, the pit bull dog is the most desired breed for dogfighting and is dying at a higher rate in local animal shelters than any other breed of dog in South Carolina; and
Whereas, fertile dogs are more likely to be territorial and therefore more likely to bite. Most dog bite fatalities are committed by dogs that were not altered; and
Whereas, requiring registration to own a fertile pit bull dog would provide a safety component for the public and the dog." - H 3709, 123rd Session, 2019-2020
09/30/20: Woman Killed by Dogs
Gray Court, SC - A 32-year old woman was found dead in a yard on Allegra Lane Tuesday morning, according to the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office. A home healthcare worker discovered her body. The Laurens County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy Wednesday morning. Chief Deputy Coroner Patti Canupp identified the woman killed as Jacqueline Nicole Robinson, 32. Canupp said the autopsy showed that her cause of death was due to being "mauled by dogs."
Deputies responded to the home about 10:50 am Tuesday. Laurens County Animal Control removed several dogs from the scene. Robinson had been breeding pit bulls at her home for several years (litters in 2019 and 2018), according to her Facebook page. Photos show a "Momma" and "Daddy" pit bull -- both were staked out in the yard. Multiple adult, adolescent and pit bull puppies appear in her photos. Other photos indicate the victim was a dog groomer.
Police have not confirmed the breed of dog involved. Last October, we issued trends in fatal pit bull mauling victims. Between 2010 and 2018, women 30-years and older had risen to the most frequent victim of fatal pit bull maulings. One can see this rise more clearly when comparing three recent periods. In the 5-year period of 2005-2009, women 30 and older accounted for 19% of people killed by pit bulls. That rose to 38% during the 4-year period of 2015-2018, a 100% rise.
Two adult pit bulls marked as "Momma" and "Daddy" are seen on the victim's Facebook page.
Jacqueline's father recently published a post to Facebook confirming that pit bulls killed her.
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: South Carolina Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.Related articles:
09/30/19: 2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Dies After Vicious Attack by Her Own Pit Bull...
03/23/19: 2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bulls Attack, Kill Owner While She Visited Her Dogs...
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.
Why do people choose to have dangerous canines in their lives? Why don’t people choose beagles or dachshunds or retrievers or similar instead? Because beagles and dachshunds and retrievers do not project the aggressive image that aggressive people want to project for themselves. People with aggressive personality choose dangerous canines as pets because that is the image that they want to project for themselves.
Also Richard, people get them because they want the dog to fight FOR them. They don’t realise that you owe your dog protection, they don’t owe you protection–unless they’re trained for it there’s no guarantee a dog, no matter how tough someone thinks it is or the breed–won’t just run the other way.
Pitbulls are one of the worst guard dogs because they’re more likely to bite the handler than the mugger. A Jack Russell is far more useful.
Wow!…That helicopter aerial view shows some sort of privacy fenced compound attached to a barn-shaped structure…The yard layout has multiple dog crates…This was not just a yard for pet dogs — it was evolving into a kennel for breeding operations…I saw photos of “Momma” on her bed and snuggled close to her face…Like so many pit bull owners who think they can have it all in one dog; manage it all in one dog …She possibly understood the pit bull’s dual nature of ingratiating cuddle bug/hair triggered explosively violent fighter but like so many who “think they ‘know’ and ‘can manage’ their pits”…(but others CAN’T) — they insist on falsely believing the pit is ever “loyal” to them alone — and she ran out of good odds… Pits do not have a fixed CONCEPT of LOYALTY…
ANOTHER PIT BULL OWNER KILLED BY HER OWN DOGS. Every year this happens – and in 2020 this is the 2nd death of an actual pit bull advocate by dogs she raised from puppies. The sad irony smh
She was my friend!!! Those were NOT HER DOGS!!!!
She was breeding pits and the police haven’t confirmed the breeds of the dogs who killed her? Unless she had other dogs in her home, there’s no way the pits weren’t involved. I wonder if she knew they were aggressive and simlply ended up as a knowing victim. Or if she belived the lies that they are “sweet and harmless” and ended up learning the truth once they attacked her. We’ll never know.
The worst thing about this is that she was a breeder, meaning her vicous mutants aggressive genes have already been passed on to who knows how many puppies, which are probably out wreaking havoc into other neighborhoods.
Sorry, not sorry. If all the people breeding these shit dogs got killed by them the problem would end itself in short order.
I agree. Play stupid games,will stupid prizes. One less idiot out there breeding them.
People breeding pit bulls surely don’t believe their dogs would kill them. I wonder what triggered these dogs to kill at this time. Did she try to break up a dog
fight? Was there misdirected aggression?
In the end it doesn’t matter. She is dead.
Why are people breeding these dogs when there are so many safe breeds?
Why are people breeding these dogs when shelters are glutted with them?
One-word reason: Money.
If you have a breeding operation, you can make money. And it’s tax-free money.
Why? Because if you’re a breeder, you’re probably not reporting the doggie income on your tax returns.
Colleen…do we exactly know who the “SOB”‘s are that the father is referencing? His post left me more confused as to what happened. It sounds as if he is threatening the pit bulls themselves, but not sure what he can do about that.
Thank you, was thinking the same 👍🏼
I feel so sorry for this father. He’s lost his baby girl to an entirely preventable death regardless of whether it was her pitbulls, or the neighbour’s pitbulls. (I think the father is referring to the dogs as SOBs). I wonder if he tried to warn her that breeding pitbulls was a bad idea…
No matter what the supposed “trigger” was, if she’d been breeding whippets or beagles or poodles or even Dobermans, she’d still be alive.
Now, there are unculled descendants from sires/dams with history of man-eating behaviour just waiting to ‘go off’ and slaughter more people.
Whippets, Beagles, Poodles, you know, dogs people actually WANT, not dogs like pit bulls that they have to be conned in to.
KaD, dunno where I found it (some Bouvier fancier site, no doubt) but there are *half* as many registered Bouvs now than in 2000. I suspect Dobes (I see very few nowadays) and Rotts are on the wane since then, too. Why? Because I suspect some of the same people who might have to pay big dollars and train a proper dog are now grabbing up cheap pits, not training them, and hoping the pure fear of pitbulls will keep away people they don’t like.
So tired of folks purporting to love pit bulls, while also breeding them. If you love them, please stop adding more that no one wants. What a horrible way to die. My heart goes out to her family
Breeding pit bulls needs to be illegal. There are far too many of them in the world already. Did her own pits kill her? Were they for the neighbors? Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me. None of the dogs should have been bred in the first place.
These monsters need to be banned. I feel so sorry for the father, who is clearly in distress over his loss.
Tax evasion is already illegal. Just go after the tax money that isn’t being thrown off from these breeding operations, and toss in some hefty jail sentences.
It is going to be interesting to see what the connection is between Jeffrery and Jacqueline. The road she was walking along was very short and had about 5-10 houses on it. Both were pit bull breeders. There may have been breeding each other’s dogs together.
Her poor father is clearly mourning over this. It just seems odd that he either didn’t know she was also into pits and breeding them or he is just leaving that out.
OR Christy, I wonder, did Jeffrey “rent space” from her for *his* pitbulls to dodge Animal Control knowing she was a single mom needing cash and she agreed to the arrangement?
This is sometimes how crack houses get started.
I too, find that relationship, curious.
Jae was not a single mom, she was married. Her name was Jacqueline Downs. The dog owner has been best friends with the family since he was 9 years old. No one breeds dogs, their all huge animal lovers. Everything from fish, hamsters or dogs. The dogs where fenced but dig up under the gate due to soft mud from days of rain. Jeff had already left for work. We are all devastated on both ends. This was an accident. We love Jae and Jeff.
Please pray for our family.
Blame it on the rain…. really? That was a Milli Vanilli song. It is not a reason for a pit bull mauling to be explained away as accidental.
One of my small dogs accidently got into my neighbour’s yard after a major rain. He slipped under the fence where it was muddy.
I went to the neighbour’s door and told them my dog got in their yard, and the neighbour lady went and got my dog back for me. I then plugged up the hole. No one was harmed because the dog involved was of a small companion breed, not a dog of a breed used in blood sports.
This is a major tragedy and I feel bad for this lady and her family, but if the dogs that got into her yard were beagles or poodles, or any non-fighting breed, she’d be alive. Almost every dog fatality I read about involves pit bulls. There’s a big pattern here and instead of writing off pit bull maulings as accidents, people need to speak out about the danger of this breed.
Her daughter says on FB that
“Jacqueline Didnt breed dogs. She had dogs, & they mated. & She always made sure her fur babies went to a LOVING home !”
It’s not the current dog owner culture, but this is exactly how people traditionally owned dogs. They had dogs, the dogs kinda did their own thing, there were constant puppies. This is still the way it is with a lot of people. The problem traditionally was the dangers to the dogs – casually owned dogs tended to be road kill, or shot by neighbors for killing chickens, etc. Now you have a whole generation that was raised on having not normal pet dogs around, but pit bull dogs, and the risks have changed.
I’m not saying having free-range dogs is a great idea or that the daughter is definitely correct, just that I think it’s fair to say there are 2 possible scenarios wrt the pit bulls in this attack – deliberate breeding for cash, or animal lovers who casually accumulated the breed of dog that’s almost impossible NOT to acquire today if you’re on a budget, then never bothered to speuter and oops, puppies, and hey, gotta charge something for them…
Accident? Not really. When you keep dogs that have been bred for bloodsport for centuries it should be foreseeable to anyone who cares to see. Pit bulls are 14 times more likely to escape confinement than other breeds. No one who really cares about pit bull would be breeding a dog that is glutting shelters and killing with regularity. It’s also not the type of dog that should be kept in or near a residence with children.
And as for accidental mating, that is sheer irresponsibility and explains exactly why spay and neuter LAWS need to be passed. There is no need for pit bulls, and there is especially no need for MORE pit bulls.
No, Jeff has stayed behind his grandma for over an decade
He doesn’t seem to comprehend that his daughter was raising either the same breed of dog, or the actual dogs, that caused her death. Perhaps the police are not telling him which dogs killed her? Or they don’t know, yet.
I’d welcome him here, any time.
She was still married
Assuming you know the truth, Lakeisha, we then have [i]two[i] parents, at least one of which should have known, that pitbulls and children *do not mix* that agreed to keep, whether they bred them or not– a pack of inherently dangerous pitbulls.
Now this poor woman is dead, whether by her own pitbulls or her neighbour’s pitbulls and a grieving spouse, parents, children and countless others including yourself.
This was not an “accident”–it was entirely foreseeable that some tragedy was bound to happen with a minimum of two packs of pitbulls living nearby.
Prayers aren’t going to stop this from happening again. Better fences are not going to prevent this. Stronger leashes are not going to prevent this.
BSL, Dangerous Dog Laws and outlawing pitbull ownership will prevent this in the future.
A lot of unanswered questions still. But the raw emotion from her father gives voice to all the collateral damage these monsters cause.
Interesting mugshot…. he appears to have significant asymmetry to his face and scarring and nerve damage on the left side. Could this possibly be the result of a pit dog bite to the face?
This is a very confusing story. Not on this blog, but a bit of racist undertones with the FB comments. If, indeed, both of them owned/bred pits and three of the dogs killed her, how do we know for sure he’s wholly responsible? One person posted that the deceased woman had problems with her dogs “but no one would listen.” Until they do some DNA on the killers maybe we’ll know the culprits? Am I off here?
Good point. My guess is they grabbed the pits that were running lose.
You are right about FB. It is getting crazy and turning into a possible rumor mill. Lots of interesting claims by people who knew them.
Bottom line? I’m sure her father or mother will come out with the full story as they learn it, perhaps at a later date.
FB is a sinkhole of nonsense, much of the time.
I believe pit attacks on this age/sex will only increase, young women who want to save the breed from discrimination ugh! or whatever when in reality, they are totally out of their depth… they ‘baby’ these dogs and these dogs know that they are in control, at all times, hence they consistantly maul their owners and strangers to death
The smirk on the dog owners face in his mugshot says it all…Jeffrey Sullivan, he thinks it’s great, he’s proud of his mutts