A woman died Friday after being attacked by two pit bulls in McCurtain County, Oklahoma.
Woman Killed by Pit Bulls
McCurtain County, OK - On Friday evening, we learned on social media that a woman in her 70s was killed by a family pit bull near Broken Bow. Today, the McCurtain Gazette confirmed her death -- this newspaper does not have a website or a Facebook page. The unnamed victim suffered "extremely severe" facial lacerations, a "partially amputated left leg" and numerous bites. Her two daughters were bitten and injured while trying to help their mother, according to the Gazette.
The deadly attack occurred outside of Idabel on Friday afternoon after a woman dropped her mother off at her sister's home, reports the Gazette. After she dropped her off and was driving away, she saw in her rearview mirror that her mother was on the ground being attacked by two pit bulls. She turned around and ran to give her mother aid, as her sister ran from her home to help as well. All three injured women were transported to McCurtain Memorial Hospital in Idabel.
The 70-year old victim was being transferred to a regional hospital when "her vital signs crashed," reports the Gazette. The ambulance returned to McCurtain Memorial Hospital, where she died. The deceased woman's husband put both dogs down, officers said. Last December, just miles away, Cledith Davenport, 79, was killed by a pack of dogs in Broken Bow. He was discovered lying halfway in a ditch on his property with the "dogs chewing on him." No criminal charges were filed.
A family member confirmed the woman who died is 76-year old Karen Wilkerson of Broken Bow. Her age does not match the Gazette's age and some family members are asking that the Gazette article be taken down, "It’s not so much the article, it’s what people are posting saying about the article," Summer said. Less than 24 hours after Wilkerson died, the family suffered another death. The daughter (presumably) that owns the pit bulls is Karrie, her female pit bull is named "Squirt."
Family pit bulls killed a woman and injured her two daughters in McCurtain County, Oklahoma.
A female pit bull named "Squirt" seen on the Facebook page of one of the victim's daughters.
View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Oklahoma Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.Related articles:
12/18/19: 2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Killed by Pack of Dogs in Broken Bow, Oklahoma
12/18/19: 2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Multiple Dogs Killed Teenage Boy Walking Home from School
Statewide attacks:
Vicious Dog Attacks in Oklahoma by Butch Bridges, a log of Oklahoma vicious dog attacks.
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.
Thank God that it was not an innocent pedestrian. Dangerous dog lovers can just keep it in the family. 17 days since the last fatality, at 38 Americans per day admitted into the hospital per day, equals approximately 650 severe maulings since the last known dangerous canine attack death. This nice lady is in Heaven now. Too bad it was an extremely painful process.
“It’s not so much the article, it’s what people are posting saying about the article,” she said.
What does that mean? Is the goal to protect the breed? Is that what people are talkig about? Or is it that as a pit bull family they “failed” and so the pibble people are turning on them and are accusing them of mistreating the pits, training them wrong, causing the attack and giving the breed a bad rap?
I suppose they won’t like this being on this website and they will probably ask you, Colleen, to take it down. I hope you don’t. If her death and this family mauling stops just one death be stopping one family from getting one of these dogs, then something good would come of this.
I’ve been following this website since it started. Never once has Colleen removed a dog bite fatality report.
They don’t like the comments?
Half would be pit nutters saying they “raised them wrong” and the other half are probably, “What did you expect, buying a pitbull? You are responsible for this”–while true, would be horrifying to hear/read right after your mom/grandma was slaughtered.
That said, such articles *must* be public. Because otherwise the pit nutters swamp every space on the internet flower crowned pitbulls, pitbulls in pajamas, pitbulls in bunny ears, pitbulls in t-shirts etc etc.
(personal pet peeve, why would anyone humiliate their dog by sticking bunny ears on it? not that dogs know that, but still…blech)
It’s not so much the article it’s what people are saying about it, you ask why I said that. It’s because our family is already dealing with the death of my grandmother, and my cousin ( her grandson ) passed the very next day from his battle with cancer. The last thing my family NEEDED, was to get on social media and TALK about it. It’s not the time to make an example over the situation. We are grieving.
I’m just heartbroken for your family. To lose your grandma in such a gruesome way and then your cousin the next day…I just can’t imagine the grief and I’m so, so sorry. I hope the others who were injured heal quickly. I’d like to think that your grandma went ahead to ready heaven for your cousin and that they are together. My deepest condolences, I wish your family healing and peace.
You are very sweet. I can’t imagine saying such things. I’m long past the point where I could sympathize with such irresponsible behavior. How could any reasonable person not know how dangerous these dogs are?
thank you so much. i come back to read this article, as the death anniversary comes up. i’m still very heart broken and have dealt with a lot of hate in my heart over what happened. i agree 100% with what everyone has to say about this breed of dogs. i have poodles, & i’m aware that anything can happen. but i won’t put myself in that situation for it happen.
most of us from the family would like for someone to be held accountable for what happened. but since it was “families” dogs it was brushed under the rug. let me remind yall, the dogs were my MOTHERS. but my grandmother, karen wilkerson raised me from a child.
When are pit nutters going to get it?
Pitbulls attack the most vulnerable first. That includes smaller dogs, sick dogs, old dogs, friendly dogs, puppies, kittens, babies, seniors, the disabled.
Once they practise their skills on the vulnerable then they go for the harder prey.
They’re responsible for the deaths of more livestock and pets than *any other breed*.
When are pit nutters going to understand that pitbull mauling is not an aberration–it’s a self-rewarding behavior, like fetching is for a Labrador or running is for a husky.
Another senior has been murdered at the hands of a pitbull.
Whether it was the family dog or not, someone in their golden years won’t get to enjoy the reward of their life’s labour because they were mercilessly slaughtered by a pitbull.
Pitbulls are not pets. They can never be trustworthy companion dogs or they wouldn’t BE pitbulls.
Why would someone want to turn their family’s home into a potential house of horror? I know people who own pit bulls read this website just to see what is being said. If you own a pit bull, take note, because what happened to all these innocent people could happen in your home. Pit bulls are good at killing. Please acknowledge that fact. Just try to comprehend the bloody gore of dog attacks like these and the last thoughts of the person who is dying. I am a dog lover (live with two), and I see the beauty in the terrier breeds, so I get why people are drawn to pit bulls. I get that they are useful as guard dogs. But what I don’t get is why these animals continue to be presented as cuddly snuggle bugs, especially by rescue societies. It is criminal how rescue groups play up these dogs as suitable pets. If they are such loving and wonderful pets, why do so many need rescuing? I am terrified of pit bulls because I know that if one attacked me or my four legs, I would NOT be able to defend us because pit bulls go for the kill. If I go to a park to walk my dogs and see a pit bull on a leash, I leave. If I find out that an acquaintance owns a pit bull, I do NOT visit. My fear is not irrational. It is common sense. Please, I beg of you. Stay away from pit bulls, even if they are owned by your friends or family members. And never, ever believe the LIE, “My pit bull wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Yes. What is striking here is that these dogs do not appear to have been fighting or guard dogs. It looks like they were pets. People often say that genetics is irrelevant when it comes to these dogs and if they are “raised right,” they will be fine. A lot of people say pit bulls need to be trained to attack.
However, I very seriously doubt these folks taught their pit bull to attack old ladies. From the bunny ears picture, they probably bought a lot of the propaganda that pit bull advocates push (such as the “nanny dog” nonsense). Sadly, a lot of pit bulls, once triggered into entering an aggressive state, will start attacking and can be near impossible to stop. Unrestrained mauling is what they were selectively bred to do. Dog fighters bred the dogs that did not give up in the fighting pit, even if they or their opponent were gravely injured. They call it “gameness” but I call it insanity. People still breed pit bulls for that purpose.
I can’t imagine how horrific and gruesome this attack was. A partially amputated leg?
What people fail to understand is that pit bulls are temperamentally unstable. They were BRED to attack other animals (bulls, bears) in the ABSENCE of species specific aggression signals and to attack other dogs in SPITE of the presence of species specific submission signals like averting the gaze or showing the belly. In most dog the aggression stops when the submission signal is given. Pit bulls do not stop until their prey is dead, or they are. This is why they can be peaceful, perfect dogs for years then suddenly kill. The term ‘pit roulette’ is an apt one.
My neighbor has 2 pit bulls that he walks without a leash. When I remarked that all dogs must be on a leash, he cussed me out and began a verbal attack. Pitbull owners are super sensitive and can be as toxic as the dog.
Are they ever. People and their animals usually have strong similarities and even look alike. Unstable people choose unstable dogs.
Did you notice that in the latest picture of the McCurtain paper in the FB comments at the bottom a poster says she works in a nursing home and brings her pit to work with her every day. LOL! Didn’t we have some incident a while back where a pit attacked residents in a senior facility?
Now that is a situation worth looking into. I wonder where she works.
As always, Colleen, major props to you.
The victim is using a rollator in one photo and a cane in another. Yet, another elderly victim with a mobility device attacked.
I don’t know how her employer or the DOH allowed this in the most highly regulated section of healthcare.
Another elderly woman lost because of these land sharks. And just like some of the other recent incidents, it’s been a pit owned by the victim’s child. Why, why do people have these creatures around their elderly parents? This is insane. Thank goodness the beasts were put down.
Well up until this one we had a bit of a quiet zone for a week or so. Well Colleen (you can delete later or add in a different blog or what-have-you) today we hit the trifecta…one senior, and now one child trying to save the life of her dog:
https://www.providencejournal.com/news/20200916/providence-police-shoot-pitbull-after-taser-fails-to-stop-attack
Well after a sorta quiet time we now have the trifecta above (family dog, kid mauled breaking it up, saved by parent who got mauled getting pitbull off the kid) and now…a mauled baby who, shockingly, survived it.
Dunno where you’re putting the mauling list Colleen, but ‘ave at it. Four, count ’em FOUR pitbulls roaming free around a house with access to a baby. This family has the luck of the Irish, for sure…
https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/pit-bulls-attack-baby-in-randallstown-home
Mother of God…they had FOUR pit bulls. They were all going to be put down, but they discovered only two of their darling dogs tried to killer their baby. So guess what? Two are returning to the home to finish the job. I must accept that there are some things in life I will NEVER understand.
Good old Balitmore county. Why I’m moving as soon as my lease is up if I make it that far. Pit bulls running wild everywhere here. I live in a breed restricted apartment and there are STILL tons of them getting in somehow. We were at a Petsmart here not long ago and a pit attacked a poodle. It took 4 people to get it off. I started carrying an air horn,pepper spray and a weapon in case one happens upon me. Way to go Maryland for getting rid of the dangerous breed law.
I have never seen a ‘cute’ pitbull terrier… just look at the eyes of these brutes, they are just scary as all heck! Those eyes are the give-away… deadly and THEY know it! A very frightening breed
judy, I get it 100%
The owners, outright *know* how intimidating they are. Those who claim they are “cute” are flat-out lying. Nobody thinks a rottweiler or mastiff is “cute” and they are of similar build/look. They get them *because* they look intimidating then try to convince everyone that’s not the reason they purchased a pitbull.
Nobody purchases a standard poodle for protection even though they are 10x easier to train for any job, including protection, than a rottie or dobe. Why? Because they *look* like poodles. Pitbulls have a reputation for vicious maulings and pitbull owners *know* it.
It’s the flat-out lying about their motives in buying a pitbull that just burns my socks off.
I think we are going to see that Karrie Wilkerson Kennedy (the likely pit owning daughter) is going to be defending her dogs and pits in general. Her latest comment about the newspaper article, “Especially when it’s not even correct….”
On another note, Squirt was a puppy in a photo from 6/27/2015 and this photo was taken after they just got her. Another photo from Nov. 15, 2014 shows a blue nose pit (I hate that term) that belongs to a friend who is “going to make them a grandmom within a year.” Timing is right.
Squirt’s bitch (AKA: Lil Bit, Bitters, Bit, Sugar Tits, Queen.) , I presume:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201793681203291&set=pb.1819705393.-2207520000..&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2462786787093769&set=pb.100000874144963.-2207520000..&type=3
Dear Doggess, “the dog loves me” as it’s doing NOTHING productive, just sitting there wall-eyed and getting squished?
I say we go back to Barbra Woodhouse’s standard of dog love.
She used to tell owners, “If you let your dog loose right now then call it back and it comes? It loves you. Otherwise, it doesn’t.”
My good girl halted in mid-flight from a pit bull attack and ran unhesitatingly back to me when I screamed for her. Even though I hadn’t helped her in the attack, even though I was standing in front of the house where the pit bull was now raging and throwing itself against the window in an effort to return to the kill. Her love for and trust in me were humbling. I didn’t deserve it, and she didn’t even hesitate.
Sara: THAT is a clever companion dog. YOU are a model owner.
Were there any legal/euthanasia/animal control consequences for that pitbull and the owner while you and your dog were being held hostage in your house?
Unfortunately, no. The actual owner was a 20something man but the home from which it burst like a bullet belonged to his aunt because he’d parked the pit bull with her for months. And the aunt was a townie who worked with police, so the cops did that bland unhelpfulness that cops adopt when they’re stonewalling you. Animal control was even less helpful; when I persisted, they retaliated by threatening to fine me for my dog’s license being expired. And I was naive, didn’t realize how to work the system to force it to help me. The aunt did move the pit bull out of town, however; I think my efforts to get something done worried her.
Sara: Wonder how many other complaints and re-homings that pitbull went through?
Stonewalling? And laziness, I’d wager. Can’t be bothered with the paperwork.
FerFurSake, your dog gets attacked and they threaten to fine YOU for forgetting your license? But the pitbull gets a pass.
I gather there was no BSL in the area.
Cheezus wept.
How does any news agency — that has to have their articles typeset for a print run — NOT have a Facebook page or website?
That image of the beast with the bunny ears really infuriates me. Nutters are always using pictures of their monsters in accessories to try to “prove” them to be harmless. What a surprise, it still killed despite being dressed up to look “cute”! And I’m sure there were plenty of comments on that original picture calling the landshark a “cute, harmless, baby”. I wonder what they’ll say when they hear that the bunny ears didn’t stop this mutant from killing it’s owner’s mother.
The bunny ears picture is akin to the photos I saw in a recent Woman’s Day article, “Fifteen Photos Which Prove Pit Bulls Don’t Deserve Their Bad Reputation.” It was enough to make one vomit. As if a mere moment in time “proves” anything except that at that instant, the dog was not actively mauling someone.
Somehow, despite having once had bunny ears applied for a photo shoot, this dog went on to kill an elderly lady. It’s almost as if it’s inescapable genetic heritage from hundreds of generations of selective breeding for sudden unprovoked aggression came into play… imagine that.
Absolutely unbelievable. If my dog killed my mother, I can’t even imagine wanting to live. Do these stories make any difference is people’s thinking at all? Why would anyone choose to have such an animal? I cross the street when I see them in my neighborhood. Their owners seem to be miffed about that. I’ve been called “a terrible person.” I was just speechless.