Great-Grandmother Charged with Second-Degree Murder
Serenity Garnett was killed by a dog while under the care of her great-grandmother.
Sentenced for Baby's Death
UPDATE 04/27/23: The great-grandmother of a baby girl killed by a large, muscular family dog in March of 2022 was sentenced to serve six years in jail and four years of probation. In total, Migdelia Guadalupe received 10 years on the charge of contributing to the dependency of a minor and three years on one count of possession of methamphetamine. Guadalupe had initially been charged with second-degree murder, but the grand jury did not indict her on that charge.
Guadalupe appeared by video at her sentencing. A trial was averted because she took full responsibility for her actions, which included delaying a call to 911 for 20 minutes after the child was brutally attacked by "Blade," an American bulldog with a history of aggression. When the dog attacked the baby, Guadalupe and an unidentified male were high. The male left after the attack. Guadalupe, who has a history of drug use, waited 20 minutes before seeking help for the child.
WRDW was in the courtroom filming during the sentencing hearing. The prosecutor explains the state's case and the events that occurred that day at 5:00. The family of baby Serenity gives emotional testimony at 20:01. Senerity's mother did not appear, but supplied a letter instead. The mother urged the court to sentence Guadalupe to the maximum amount with no possibility of parole. "I hope she sits in her decision to choose drugs over my baby girl's life," she wrote.
03/25/22: Great-Grandmother Charged
The great-grandmother of a baby girl killed by a large, muscular family dog earlier this week has been charged with second-degree murder in connection to her death. Migdelia Guadalupe, 56, who suffered lacerations and puncture wounds during the attack, was released from the hospital today and promptly arrested by police. Guadalupe was charged with second-degree murder and possession of methamphetamine, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
"There are additional details that led to these charges that will not be released at this time," the sheriff’s agency said in a statement.
No bond was granted to Guadalupe. Second-degree murder charges indicate prosecutors believe Guadalupe had knowledge of the dog's vicious propensities. In Georgia, the charge specifically relates to children too. "Murder in the second degree involves the death of a person while committing the offense of cruelty to children in the second degree," states the Black Law Offices website. The Georgia penal code states this offense is "irrespective of malice" as well.
Guadalupe was renting the property, according to authorities, and was the only renter living at the home. The dog belongs to Donna Marie Mills, 58, who co-owns the property with her brother, Danny Mills, 55. Donna is incarcerated, and Danny Mills does not live at the home, authorities said. Online court records for Columbia County indicate that a warrant for Donna's arrest was issued on January 11, 2022. It's unclear how long Guadalupe had been living at the residence.
The WRDW article also confirms that "Blade," as seen on Donna's Facebook page before she deactivated it, is the offending dog. Previous incidents causing animal control officers to visit the home include: Blade being attacked by another dog in 2017 and first responders being kept from providing medical care to the owner due to the dog's guarding, also in 2017. Apparently, authorities were not notified after Blade killed a previous renter's small dog several years ago.
Blade Videos (2016-2017)
- Blade in the backyard of the home
- Blade in the front/side yard of the home
- Blade shredding fabric in the backyard
03/24/22: Clarifications, Previous Attack
News reports clarified that the child was under the care of her great-grandmother, not her grandmother, at the time of the fatal attack. The great-grandmother, 56-years old, suffered lacerations and puncture wounds in the attack. Her injuries were not life-threatening. The child was not breathing when deputies arrived. The great-grandmother was renting the property. The attacking dog belongs to a 58-year old woman who co-owns the property with her brother.
That woman, the owner of the dog, is currently incarcerated, but her brother "responded to the scene and was advised of the situation," states the police incident report. The child's mother arrived at the scene before the ambulance's departure and followed the girl to Augusta University Health, where her baby was declared dead. The great-grandmother continues to recover at the hospital. At this stage, investigators still do not know what led to the multi-victim dog attack.
WRDW had previously spoken to Tim Jardine, who lives just down the street. He's lived in the Columbia Drive neighborhood all his life. Jardine recalled a past incident when the dog's owner had a seizure. "My friend and I had to occupy the dog for them to get in there and get the woman to the hospital," he said, referring to the paramedics. His sister-in-law, Amanda Jardine, agreed. "It won’t let anyone come near anybody," she said. The canine remains in a 10-day quarantine.
The child's grandmother, Rosalie Rivera, told WJBF that she was the first person to learn about the attack. "I did not think it was this serious," she said. She thought Serenity was just bitten by a dog. "I wouldn’t wish this pain on anybody. I know she was my granddaughter, but she was my favorite girl," she said. "I can’t imagine my life without her, and she’s only been in it for 7 months." The GoFundMe for Serenity, to help pay for her funeral costs, has raised over $13,000 so far.
Previously Killed Dog
After a flurry of horrific dog attacks reported this week in US and UK media, a commenter shared that another account was published about this attack. A woman who formerly rented and lived at 3701 Columbia Drive, said the same dog that killed Serenity, also killed her pet chihuahua and injured her. "It killed my dog, and it maimed my hands," she said. The woman chose to remain anonymous -- after all, the owner of the attacking dog, Donna Mills, is currently incarcerated.
The former roommate who is speaking out lived at Mills' home a little over three years ago. "She stumbled when she went to go feed the dog. The dog jumped this big, old board they had set up so he couldn’t get out or couldn’t come in the house, came straight down the hallway and snatched my dog. Banged her against the walls, broke her neck, broke her back. It was horrible,” she said. She described the attacking dog, who we suspect is "Blade," as a "huge dog."
"Blade," the offending large, muscular dog, seen on the dog owner's Facebook page in 2017.
Police first called this dog a pit bull then classified it an "American Bulldog-Great pyrenees mix."
03/22/22: Child Killed by Large Dog
Martinez, GA - A 7-month old girl is dead and her grandmother hospitalized after being attacked by a large family dog. The attack occurred at 3701 Columbia Drive at about 12:30 pm Tuesday. The baby, Serenity Garnett, was visiting her grandmother's home and under her care when the multi-victim attack occurred. The grandmother owns the animal. Both Serenity and her grandmother were transported to Augusta University Health for medical treatment, where the baby later died.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office described the dog as an American bulldog-Great pyrenees mix. Neighbor Steven Fox said the male dog "had muscles coming out the wazoo" and that the grandmother "didn't have the strength to deal with that dog." When he got out occasionally, it was very hard to get back," Fox said. At least two "Beware of the Dog" signs hung on a fence at the home. Thus far, no photograph of the dog, initially described as a pit bull, has been released.
Endless, Reoccurring Scenario
Followers of this blog know that this type of preventable fatal dog mauling to a child is an "endless, reoccurring scenario." A grandparent with one or more powerful dogs, most commonly pit bulls or rottweilers, that kills a visiting baby or toddler while under their watch. Steven Fox described the grandmother's relationship with her dog aptly. She "didn't have the strength to deal with that dog." Yet, she still kept the powerful animal and allowed it to be in contact with a defenseless baby.
(Just after 11:00 pm Central Time, we discovered that Augusta Crime had located the baby's GoFundMe page and clarified that the child was under the care of her "great-grandmother.")
At least two "Beware of the Dog" signs hung on the fence of the dog owner's home in Martinez.
Related articles:
01/30/22: 2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Rottweiler Kills 7-Year Old Girl, Injures Adult Female in Virginia
12/31/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Boy Killed by Dogs Being Fostered at Grandfather's Home...
10/19/21: 2021 Dog Bite Fatality: 7-Month Old Baby Killed by Large Family Dog in Tennessee
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.
A 17-month-old girl just died in the UK after being attacked by the family’s new dog. They had the pit bull “type” dog just one week. In that part of the world, they’re actually investigating if this dog was even legal to own. Something that will probably never happen here. As you said, this scenario plays out over and over again. The Great Pyrenees is a powerful breed. Crossing it with a pit bull produces a dangerous dog. This little girl has the face of an angel. God rest her soul.
I don’t think this dog looks like it has an ounce of Great Pyrenees in it. The Pyr is a livestock guardian breed. I have never seen an aggressive one toward people. Of course, I’m sure there is an aggressive one somewhere. A Pyr babysits its flock. It doesn’t prepare them for lunch. I believe this dog is a pit bull or an American bulldog. Did the dog come from a shelter? It doesn’t act like a Pyr.. DNA it as to breed.of dog. Someone probably called it a Pyr cross due to the degree of white markings. Is he neutered.
I doubt there was a significant amount of great Pyrenees in that dog. Pyrs/mixes are common here and not that problematic. Of course, adding a blood sport breed seems to override any other breed’s reasonable instincts with violence.
Good point. I had a Great Pyrenees/golden mix and she was a good dog. They’re used as guardian dogs on farms and usually “escort” instead of attacking predators away from their flock. Unfortunately, my dog became protective when on a leash and dog aggressive in her later years. I think any breed that’s contaminated with pit blood is dangerous. Mainly because it’s deceptive. At least a full blooded fighting breed is recognizable and comes with a warning. A veterinarian told me almost all dogs in these shelters are contaminated with the pit genetics. We’re seeing a lot of attacks now by “mixed” breeds as in the horrific dog sitter story.
Here in Tucson, there’s a multi-use trail called The Loop. It goes around the edge of our city.
At one point along The Loop, there’s a stretch of chain link fence. Behind it? At least one highly aggressive dog that looks like a Great Pyrenees.
It’s a truly frightening experience to go bicycling by, knowing that there’s at least one nearby canine with murder on the mind.
https://www.facebook.com/donna.mills.908 i think this is the owner
Looks like a pit bull mixed with a pit bull …..
I just saw these pictures, I don’t see ANY Pyrenees in this killer. This is the typical pit bull cover-up story. As someone mentioned, too, the GoFundMe page just says attacked by an “animal.”
Yep, this is pitbull on pitbull. I saw another cover-up on a Seattle, WA, News website this week. As Pet of the Week, a Louisiana “Catahoula Leopard Dog,” another example of the disguised-name ruse for covering up pitbull breeds. You would think a reputable news station wouldn’t allow a PR report from a dog shelter without verifying its breed first.
Link to the “Catahoula Leopard Dog,” aka known as a Louisiana pitbull:
https://komonews.com/news/local/pet-of-the-week-cane-the-1-year-old-catahoula-leopard-dog-mix
“Staff says he can get anxious in certain situations but Seattle Humane behavior staff can talk to you about ways to set Cane up for success.”
This is like listening to someone blithering away in a padded cell. “Can get anxious,” “in certain situations,” and “set [the dog] up for success” are the delusional phrasings of someone running away from reality at breakneck speed.
Cuz that’s the scam.
If they call it by a different breed then the pitbull cult can keep bemoaning, “All dogs bite” and point to that Great Pyrenees, Boxer, Lab, GSD, hound etc. as equally guilty parties and keep muddying the discussions when the facts don’t support their delusions.
All the while fundraising for the exact same dogs as “misunderstood pibbles in need of therapy”.
The pet humane societies are doing a tragic PR job thru TV stations across the country. I checked on the Pet of the Week features for this past week of March 21, 2022, and most feature pitbulls.
Washington, D.C. – nearly all 9 are pitbulls. Tuscaloosa, AL. Gadsden, AL. Colorado Springs. Chicago. Black Hills, SD. Seattle. Masachusetts. Texas. Florida.
Sickening. Very seldom is the word pitbull among the “fun” phrases of description
The only way that dog has any Great Pyrenees in it is if it bit one once.
It’s one thing when you have people think “my doggie would never” do something like this and let others around the dog. But I get really angry when the owners KNEW full and well that their dog is uncontrollable and aggressive and they STILL allow children around it. These people had a beware of dog sign for this mutant and they thought it was a good idea to give this thing access to a baby? A dog should NEVER have any access to a baby.
I look at that pathetic 3.5-foot chainlink that would never keep a determined mauler in and I think, at least they kept it in the family. Awful of me to say.
That’s a bunch of bologna to label the dog a “pitbull mix dog”.I truly believed its a full blood pitbull that kill that poor baby. This is like the fifth story I heard that a pitbull kill a baby under a loved one care.I think the media just label the pitbull mix because they don’t want to anger the pitbull advocate because those people are relentless to say pitbull aren’t dangerous dogs.
Just about any breed is capable of taking the life of a 7 month old. Yet time and time again, which is the breed involved in these tragedies?
In addition to reading heart breaking episode after episode here, followers of this blog also know that there’s a group of sick individuals who will make excuses and blame everything but the dog/breed.
Poor child didn’t stand a chance against a breed that occasionally kills experienced handlers.Even then it’s not the breed.
What killed her? Poor decisions of course. But NOT the decision to own a pit bull. Oh no! Not that. NEVER that.
There’s so much wrong here it’s hard to know where to start:
*An elderly person responsible for a dog they can’t handle left alone with it. Never mind biting, a big untrained dog can shatter a hip just by leaping with joy.
*A baby, left with a large prey-driven untrained dog loose in the place.
*Signs that prove the dog is not safe around humans and has a history of aggression
*Pitbull genetics
That is the quadfecta of playing Russian roulette with the lives of grandma and baby. Feeling lucky, Punk?
The go fund me states the baby died due to an animal attack I wish just 1 person or donator would ask “what kind of animal?”
Handy formula:
Animal Attack = Dog Attack
Yeah I know BUT I think it’s important for these types of ppl to publicly state it
A woman who used to share the house with Mills told reporters that the same pit bull killed her dog, a Chihuahua, 3 years ago.
https://www.wrdw.com/2022/03/24/dog-attacks/
A great Pyrenees is a huge fluffy breed! If this pictured, killer dog of a 7 month old baby has even 1% Pyrenees in it.. then I’m a chimpanzee!
This pit bull looks like a Pyr about as much as a horse looks like a sheep. There is no way anyone with even a passing knowledge of dog breeds would be able to make this mistake.
http://gpcaonline.org/photosch4health.htm
As is so frequent, there’s a deliberate attempt to disguise breed here if “Blade” is indeed the killer.
And here’s the rub, the media goes along with this bull-feces. It’s like reporting on a murder and describing the perp, for example, as a talk Asian man when he’s actually short and Caucasian. They go along with the pit bull gaslighting. Any one of us who know what breeds look like can tell this is not a Pyrenees mix but a pit bull. What’s happened to the truth?
The typical pit looking dog has double dewclaws, that’s why it’s being called a Pyrenees mix. Good grief, double dewclaws just happen on some dogs and not every Pyrenees has them either. It’s like thinking every dumb ass pit bull with a thin white coat and skin speckles must be a pit bull Dalmatian mix.
Such a precious baby! When we first read about this death at the NY Post, it sounds like a frail lady “babysitting” baby Serenity. But we find out that nobody else is present so the great-grandmother is feeding the dog and possibly caring for the baby much of the time. And we see by the videos she is very aware of what’s going on w this pure-bred pitbull, no mix.
Did drugs affect her ability to care for the baby
There is absolutely nothing about that dog that indicated any Great Pyrenees.
We had a Great Pyrenees for a family dog while growing up. Beautiful dog with an excellent temperament.
I don’t see a hint of physical resemblance at all. And as for temperament? The only time I can remember her even snarling was when bees were around her.
The dog in the photos here can be used as a guide as the type of dog NOT to have as a family dog- no matter what is claimed as the breed.
If it looks anything like the dog in these pictures, ask to see something else.
I agree completely
Yeah, no, that dog is as much a Pyr as my French Bulldogs.
No word on the parents of this child?
Zoom in on the background in the photos of the Pitt. 3 out 4 have gnawed up items: seat cushions, arm chair, little wooden rockers, furniture filling everywhere.
Did drugs affect her ability to care for the baby
I just watched the 3 videos of ‘Blade’ in the backyard, some woman is actually ‘hissing’ under her breath “get it” (incouraging the dog to be extra alert at someone/something – neighbours or the birds we can hear?) This was in the 1st video.. as if that dog needed to be stirred up any more than it already was SMH.. a totally frightening brute, that dog..
Anyone know what happened to the beast after the 10 day hold?
I would not be the least little bit surprised if they returned the dog to the property.
This post has been updated with the full sentencing hearing. The great-grandmother will serve at least 6 years in jail.