Posted on August 19, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

Dog Owner Charged with Second-Degree Murder & Manslaughter

Emma Hernandez, 9-years old, was killed by three pit bulls in southwest Detroit.

Dog Owner Charged
UPDATE 08/22/19: The owner of three pit bulls that brutally killed a 9-year old girl in southwest Detroit Monday has been charged with murder, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said. Pierre Cleveland, 33, has been charged with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and possessing dangerous animals causing death. He was arraigned Thursday. Magistrate Millicent Sherman ordered a $2 million bond with no 10 percent, exceeding the prosecution's request.

Cleveland's defense attorney argued that he deserved a reasonable bond and was not a flight risk because two weeks before the attack, three fingers on his right hand were severed in a work-related accident; he is a machinist. Cleveland also has no felonies in his past. Prosecutors countered by asking for a high cash bond. Prosecutors stated that Cleveland knew his dogs were aggressive and that his backyard was not secure. Prosecutors said the evidence will show:

"The defendant was harboring dogs he knew to be vicious; he knew to be aggressive."
"The defendant knew a week prior to his dogs killing Emma Hernandez, one of his dogs killed a puppy in his home."
The defendant knew that his dogs" fought with each other in his home."
The defendant knew that "one of the dogs killed multiple puppies on July 29, 2019" just two weeks before they fatally mauled Emma.
"On August 19, 2019 of this year, that Cleveland left those dogs he knew to be aggressive, he knew to be vicious, unrestrained and alone in a backyard that he knew was not secure."
"The evidence will show those dogs had escaped multiple times, even a week prior" to killing Emma Hernandez.

Michigan Law & What's Next

Under Michigan law -- one of the few states with a felony dog attack law -- prosecutors should be able to prove the involuntary manslaughter charge with the evidence just stated. Proving the second-degree murder charge is much more difficult. As we saw during the Geneke Lyons case, the judge threw out that charge during the trial, stating that prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence for the higher charge. The preliminary exam is scheduled for September 6.

Watch hearing: Pierre Lamra Cleveland is arraigned by video in the 36th District Court.

Pierre Cleveland later admitted that his nursing female pit bull was aggressive towards people.

08/20/19: Community, Family Mourn Loss
The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim as Emma Hernandez. She died of multiple injuries and her death was ruled an accident. On Monday afternoon, three pit bulls viciously attacked the little girl in an alley behind her Detroit home while she was riding her bike. She was transported to Children's Hospital of Michigan, where she was pronounced dead. The owner of the pit bulls, a 33-year old male, was taken into custody after the violent attack.

Neighbors rushed to help the little girl, including Edward Cruz, who threw a brick at the dogs causing them to scatter. Another bystander started firing on the dogs. One pit bull was struck by a bullet, but survived. Detroit Deputy Fire Commissioner Dave Fornell said, "We were performing EMS under gunfire" while at the scene. Just hours after the deadly attack, Fornell said that some of the first responding firefighters and EMS personnel were receiving trauma counseling.

"I came out of the house and you could hear the screaming, people screaming 'Oh my God, oh my God.'" - Neighbor Deborah Golden

The girl's father, Armando Hernandez, told WWJ that he tried to do everything he could to save her. "I tried my best. I tried CPR, I tried helping her … She was gone when I reached her," Hernandez said. He recently warned the owner of the dogs that his fence was too flimsy to hold the dogs. "I knew the dogs were there. I knew the neighbor. We had an argument about it just last week and he just didn't take care of his dogs properly. He could have prevented this," he said.

Hernandez said that in November 2017, police came out and made a report about the dogs, but never followed up on it. "The dogs stayed there loose, wild, and the guy didn't feed them," he said. Now he is a heartbroken father. "There's no words. I feel so empty. I don't know what to do. I'm really heartbroken right now," Hernandez said. "Just over and over, I keep replaying it. I couldn't sleep. I haven't slept. Just, every time I close my eyes, man, I see my baby girl," he said.

Police Chief James Craig gave a press conference today. He stated in part: "A 9-year old was attacked by a number of pit bulls ... As disgusting as the fact that this owner of these dogs should be held accountable, I am happy to report that he has been arrested ... How many more times? When you hear these stories about some of these pit bulls. I think of the image of the postal employee ... Here we are sitting here talking about a child, and a family. Did it have to happen?"

"Certainly the owner has a responsibility when they have violent animals that those animals are to be secure at all times." - Police Chief James Craig

Holding the dog owner accountable in Wayne County, however, means little. After a pack of pit bulls belonging to Geneke Lyons killed 4-year old Xavier Strickland on Detroit's west side in 2015, he was convicted on two felony counts: involuntary manslaughter and possessing dangerous animals causing death. Judge James Callahan sentenced him to only 5-years probation with a year in "work release" jail. The sentence was below the minimum guidelines of 19 to 38 months.

The family has set up a GoFundme and has raised over $25,000 for Emma's funeral costs.

08/19/19: Pit Bulls Kill Child in Detroit
Detroit, MI - On Monday, about 4:00 pm, a 9-year old girl was severely mauled by three dogs near the intersection of Central Avenue and Smart Street on Detroit's west side. Multiple news outlets report the attacking dogs were pit bulls. A neighbor shot one of the dogs, according to Detroit Fire. The child had been walking through an alley when the dogs escaped a nearby home and attacked her. She was rushed to Children's Hospital of Michigan, where she was pronounced dead.

Reporter Jermont Terry spoke to Edward Cruz at the scene, who tried to save the girl. "There was screaming and yelling," he said. "My mom was screaming, 'Help! Help!' I came outside and decided to help." I saw "three dogs attacking a child, biting her, chewing her, attacking her, mauling her, whatever you guys call it. It was just tearing her apart." Cruz grabbed a brick and threw it at the pit bulls and they fled. Shaken, Cruz wishes he could have gotten there sooner.

Evening Updates

The Detroit Free Press reports that the owner of the dogs that killed the child, a 33-year old man, was taken into custody in the hours following the attack. Detroit Deputy Fire Commissioner Dave Fornell told the Free Press, "When we first got on the scene, the girl was laying in the alley, and her father was performing CPR. Our first arriving unit jumped in and started CPR. At that point, the neighbors were shooting at the dogs. We were performing EMS under gunfire," Fornell said.

One of the attacking dogs was struck by the gunfire. Another person threw a brick at the dogs to stop the attack, Detroit Police Cpl. Dan Donakowski said. Paramedics continued CPR in the ambulance while en route to Children's Hospital of Michigan. She was pronounced dead after she arrived, Fornell said. The little girl "suffered severe traumatic injuries," Fornell said. Police have not released the identity of the child. Donakowski described all three attacking dogs as pit bulls.

WXYZ interviewed neighbor Deborah Golden who also tried to help the girl. "I seen the little girl flat on her back with bite marks and part of her neck hanging off. I started CPR and I had her dad grab her neck and hold it," Golden said. As she started CPR she instructed one of the victim's relatives to use a tee shirt to stop the blood until paramedics arrived at the scene. "You’re not going to wait even a second," she told The Detroit News. WXYZ reports the victim is Hispanic.

ClickOnDetroit reports that someone threw a flammable object at the dog owner's home after the horrific attack. So Detroit Fire had to return to the home. Tensions are high in the neighborhood.

An emotional Edward Cruz, who tried to save the child, talks to a ClickOnDetroit reporter.

Neighbors are "wrecked" and devastated after seeing three pit bulls kill a little girl in Detroit. Three days later, we learned that the man on the right is Pierre Cleveland, the dogs’ owner.

Graphic Medical study: Pitbull Mauling Deaths in Detroit, by Cheryl L. Loewe MD et al., The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Vol 28, December 2007.

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Michigan Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.

Baseline reporting requirements:
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.

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

What Does it Mean for Delta's Pit Bull Ban? - Discussion

On August 8, the DOT issued their final enforcement priorities regarding service animals. The DOT's guidance comes after airlines began tightening policies on service and support animals.

News headlines followed with claims like, "Delta can't ban pit bulls." Due to how the current rule is written, however, Delta may have legal basis; they would not have issued the ban otherwise.

Our special report dives into the areas of the current rule that are undefined. We also address the "gaping loophole" in the ACAA that has allowed fake ESA certification websites to flourish online.

Enforcement Priorities
On August 8, the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a final statement of enforcement priorities regarding service animals. Later this year, the DOT is expected to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which will address the "appropriate definition of a service animal" and "include safeguards to ensure safety and reduce the likelihood that passengers wishing to travel with their pets on aircraft will be able to falsely claim that their pets are service animals."

The enforcement priorities come after Delta and other airlines adopted new policies after the period of the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking comment on amending the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation of service animals ended on July 9, 2018. Delta had announced in June that starting on July 10, 2018 it would limit each passenger to one emotional support animal per flight and would prohibit pit bull-type dogs as service and support animals.

The DOT's enforcement priorities primarily address the new policies adopted by airlines since early 2018. These policies attempt to tackle the growing number of fake service and emotional support animals (ESAs), but primarily the growth of untrained ESAs flying in the cabin. The sole function of an ESA is to "provide comfort" for a person with disabilities. ESAs are not trained to perform a specific task and have no protection under the American Disabilities Act (ADA).

In June 2017, a Delta passenger was repeatedly attacked in the face by an untrained psychiatric service dog. In May 2019, the victim sued Delta and the dog's owner, intensifying this issue.

The DOT's enforcement priorities address airline policies containing breed restrictions, species restrictions, weight restrictions, age and number of service animal restrictions, flight-length restrictions, letter and form requirements for ESA and psychiatric services animals (PSA), form requirements for service animals (non ESA and PSA), as well as requirements for passengers with ESAs or PSAs to check into the ticket area (also called the "lobby") prior to their flight.

Airlines have until mid-September to adjust any policies that are out-of-step with the Enforcement Office's interpretation of the current rule, of which parts remain undefined and may continue to be undefined when the DOT issues its NPRM regarding the "appropriate definition of a service animal" later this year. The DOT guidance is "not legally binding in its own right" and conformity with the guidance (as distinct from existing statutes and regulations in Part 382) is voluntary only.

The Current Rule

The current rule (within the Foreign Carriers NPRM) was enacted in 2008, and is also called Part 382. It amended the Air Carrier Access Act in areas, including the transportation of service animals. However, of the total 1290 comments received for the Foreign Carriers NPRM, over 1100 (85%) regarded service animals. The DOT's final statement of enforcement priorities reflects the existing statutes and regulations in Part 382, as well as provides interpretations of them.

The goal of the DOT's final statement of enforcement priorities is to inform the public and airlines about policies that are in violation or are "inconsistent" with Part 382, and thus may be subject to potential enforcement. However, as the DOT admits in the guidance, there are still undefined areas in Part 382. Specifically, how airlines may (or may not) assess whether or not a service animal (including ESAs and PSAs) poses a "direct threat to the health or safety of others."1

Delta's Pit Bull Ban

On page 25, the DOT summarizes their enforcement priorities. The first item is Species and Breed Restrictions. As gathered from parts of the DOT's guidance statement, "the Department is not aware of and has not been presented with evidence supporting the assertion that an animal poses a direct threat simply because of its breed" and "The Enforcement Office continues to take the view that restrictions on specific dog breeds are inconsistent with the current regulation."

Delta's view is that "untrained, pit bull-type dogs posing as both service and support animals are a potential safety risk." Delta also stated at that time, "We must err on the side of safety." That was their legal understanding of the ACAA in June of 2018. Not coincidentally, Section 382.117(f) of the current rule does not define how airlines can assess if a service or support animal presents a "direct threat to the health or safety of others" -- possibly an invitation to Delta's interpretation.

On September 23, 2019 Delta announced it is continuing its pit bull ban, stating: "Pit bulls account for less than 5 percent of the overall dog population but 37.5 percent of vicious dog attacks."

§ 382.117(f) "You are never required to accommodate certain unusual service animals (e.g., snakes, other reptiles, ferrets, rodents, and spiders) as service animals in the cabin. With respect to all other animals, including unusual or exotic animals that are presented as service animals (e.g., miniature horses, pigs, monkeys), as a carrier you must determine whether any factors preclude their traveling in the cabin as service animals (e.g., whether the animal is too large or heavy to be accommodated in the cabin, whether the animal would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others, whether it would cause a significant disruption of cabin service, whether it would be prohibited from entering a foreign country that is the flight's destination).2 If no such factors preclude the animal from traveling in the cabin..." - 14 CFR § 382.117(f)

While many newspaper headlines stating, "Delta can't ban pit bulls" and the "DOT rejects Delta's pit bull ban" appeared after the DOT's enforcement priorities was published, the issue is not necessarily so black and white. The DOT simply stated, "The Enforcement Office intends to use available resources to ensure that dogs, cats, and miniature horses are accepted for transport," meaning all dog breeds. Below are areas in the DOT guidance that discuss a "direct threat."

"In the Interim Statement, we explained that airlines may refuse transportation to any service animal that poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. We observed, however, that our service animal regulation does not explain how airlines may (or may not) make that assessment" ...

"As we explained in the documentation section above, Part 382 permits airlines to determine, in advance of flight, whether any service animal poses a direct threat, but the rule does not clearly indicate how airlines must make that assessment" ...

"In general, it is not clear whether airlines are violating Part 382 if they require additional documentation to determine whether a service animal poses a direct threat. Part 382 permits airlines to determine, in advance of flight, whether any service animal poses a direct threat. However, that section is not clear about how airlines would determine whether an animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others" - Guidance on Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel, U.S. Department of Transportation, August 8, 2019

On May 23, 2018 Delta authored their comments for the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM). Delta stated within them: "Absent an approach that clearly demonstrates an animal can behave properly, airlines should be able to impose breed restrictions to ensure passenger safety."3 On June 20, Delta announced that starting on July 10, it would limit each passenger to one support animal per flight and prohibited pit bull-type dogs as service and support animals.

"To address operational issues, airlines should be permitted to require documentation of (a) the passenger's qualifying disability by a licensed medical professional, (b) behavioral training of the service animal, and (c) veterinary health records. Airlines should be permitted to require this documentation 48 hours in advance of a flight to provide opportunity to effectively evaluate the documentation. This approach is similar to the "Pet Passport" adopted by European Union countries. Absent an approach that clearly demonstrates an animal can behave properly, airlines should be able to impose breed restrictions to ensure passenger safety." - Delta Air Lines, May 23, 2018

In July, (prior to the DOT's new guidance), Delta defended their ban and threw some chilly water on a potential ruse.4 Delta denied a woman who tried to reserve a Delta flight to fly a pit bull-mix service dog to its client (the disabled client was not flying with the dog). When the woman protested and said, "that's discrimination, that's illegal," Delta allegedly replied, "No, we have lawyers on standby. We wouldn't do this if there were any legal issues that could arise."

The fact is, we don't know how Delta will respond policy-wise to the DOT's final enforcement priorities. It is also unknown if the "direct threat" issue will be addressed by the DOT later this year. We just know that policy adjustments are due in September. We also know that Part 382 does not explain how airlines may (or may not) make a direct threat assessment and that Delta believed when banning pit bull-type dogs as service and support animals, it was legally sound.

Learn why breed matters in service dogs and why pit bull service dogs are a bad idea. Primarily, pit bull "breed advocates," not advocates for the disabled, promote pit bulls as service dogs.

Military Breed Bans

A decade ago, the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force banned pit bulls and several other dog breeds from privatized housing. The Marine Corps order states, in part: "Pit bulls, rottweilers, canid/wolf hybrids, or any canine breed with dominant traits of aggression present an unreasonable risk to the health and safety of personnel in family housing." The DOT is misleading by stating there is no evidence that a dog "poses a direct threat simply because of its breed."

For federal precedent, the DOT needs to look no further than the United States Armed Forces for this evidence. Furthermore, at Camp Lejeune -- one of the largest U.S. Marine Corps bases in the country -- service dogs must be evaluated annually by the Department of Animal Control Office (DACO) and must pass an evaluation test in order "to be recognized as a service dog aboard the installation." Delta is not in the animal control or animal behavior business -- no airline is.

Developing Standards

Currently, the DOT is allowing airlines some tools to assess behavior in ESAs and PSAs, including a signed Veterinary Health Form (proof of rabies and distemper vaccinations), a signed Confirmation of Animal Training form and a signed letter from a licensed mental health professional stating the passenger has a mental health-related disability. But Delta wants more than this. Delta wants the DOT to "develop clear and consistent standards" that a dog is trained.

"Reduce abuse and fraud by clarifying and simplifying regulations to the greatest extent possible. The multiple categories with different standards and guidance do not serve passengers with disabilities or airlines well. The DOT should establish one category of service animals to accommodate any trained service animal providing assistance to a person with a qualifying disability. DOT must develop clear and consistent standards and processes for determining that a dog is trained and establishing that a person has a need for the service animal to prevent fraud and abuse. Reform should also limit the definition of service animals to dogs." - Delta Air Lines, May 23, 2018

Loophole in Current Rule

The ADA defines a disability as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment." Section 382.117(e) of the current rule, however, states that passengers with ESAs or PSAs must only have a "mental or emotional disability recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM IV)."

Airlines for America, a trade organization, states in their DOT comments: "Section 382.117(e)(1) refers to passengers that have a 'mental or emotional disability recognized in the [DSM],' but does not refer to 'any disorder (or condition) identified in the DSM.' However, a disorder is not synonymous with a disability; not all disorders manifest in a functional impairment that would be considered a legal disability, and the DSM lists many disorders that are not disabilities."

"This is not merely a technical distinction, on the contrary, it is a gaping loophole that all but invites tens of millions of non-disabled passengers to claim the need for an ESA accommodation," Airlines for America states. "DOT's conflation of medical 'disorders' and 'conditions' identified in the DSM with the legal concept of 'disability' has created confusion and facilitates fraud."5 The DOT's unwitting language is in part why fake ESA certification websites can legally flourish online.

"According to research published by the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 18.1% of Americans age 18 and older, suffered from a diagnosable mental disorder in 2014 ... with an average of 26.2% in any given year .... This begs the question as to whether an individual has a mental health-related disability listed in the DSM–5, and whether the animal in question alleviates the person's mental health symptoms in some way if accompanying the person while flying. One can argue that one in four adults could realistically qualify for an ESA. As illogical as it may seem, this would imply the ACAA would allow up to one fifth to one-quarter of passengers to potentially bring their pets on board the plane if needed."6 - Boness C. L., Younggren, J. N. & Frumkin I. B., 2017.

Summary

We do not know how Delta will respond policy-wise to the DOT's final guidance of enforcement priorities regarding their pit bull service and support dog ban. We do know that on June 22, 2018, two days after Delta announced their ban policy, the Enforcement Office issued a public statement indicating its view that "a limitation based exclusively on breed of the service animal is not allowed under the Air Carrier Access Act." Delta implemented their ban policy three weeks later anyway.

If the DOT were to develop "clear and consistent standards" for determining whether a dog is trained that the airlines could follow, along with revising the "gaping loophole" in the current rule that conflates medical "disorders" and "conditions" identified in the DSM with the legal concept of "disability" -- which ushered in an era of a massive number of non-disabled passengers claiming the need for an ESA accommodation -- perhaps Delta would not need the blunt tool of a ban.

Passengers too often bring aboard flights animals that should not be on an airplane. This must stop. https://t.co/yqb9t3l0iS via @DawnGilbertson @USATODAY @afa_cwa

— Sully Sullenberger (@Captsully) July 26, 2019

1The DOT's definition of a "Direct Threat to the Health or Safety of Others" is as follows, "A significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices, or procedures, or by the provision of auxiliary aids or services." This modified definition was established in 2008 (14 CFR Part 382, May 13, 2008). This area contains two parts as well, the service animal can be refused if it 1.) "poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others" or if it 2.) "causes a significant disruption in cabin service (i.e., a 'fundamental alteration' to passenger service)."
2"Too large or heavy to be accommodated in the cabin" is another area the DOT refuses to define and declared one airline's ban on ESAs and PSAs over 65-pounds as "inconsistent" (not the heavy language of a "direct violation") with Part 382.117. The airline was clearly trying to protect passengers from large untrained ESAs and PSAs. Their imposed "weight limit" did not affect real or "fake" service animals.
3Comments of Delta Air Lines, Submitted July 10, 2018 (DOT-OST-2018-0068-4141), Dated May 23, 2018 | Docket No. DOT-OST-2018-0068.
4A ruse "stresses an attempt to mislead by a false impression," according to Merriam-Webster. There are many "fake" scenarios invented by pit bull advocates to promote "fake" pit bull service and support dogs. This one fits the bill. Not that there was a fake disability, but it is likely people involved knew about Delta's ban and knew the dog would get rejected by Delta, thus producing a few news stories. On top of that, the rescue, Help a Dog Out Rescue in Mesa, was blasted by a pit bull lover for being "shady" for trying to pass this dog off as "not a pit."
5Comments of Airlines for America, Regional Airline Association, and
International Air Transport Association, Submitted July 10, 2018 (DOT-OST-2018-0068-4288), Dated July 9, 2018 | Docket No. DOT-OST-2018-0068.
6Cassandra. L. Boness, Jeffrey.N. Younggren & I. Bruce Frumkin, The Certification of Emotional Support Animals: Differences Between Clinical and Forensic Mental Health Practitioners, Prof. Psychology: Research and Practice, 2017, Vol. 48, No. 3, 216–223.

Posted on August 11, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Texas Teen Dies After Brutal Attack by Three Pit Bulls in Irving

Nelson Bernardo Cabrera, 16, was killed by three pit bulls in Irving, Texas.

Dog Owner Knew Victim
UPDATE 08/13/19: On August 12, a Spanish speaking news outlet, Univision, added new dimensions to this boy's mauling death -- view the URL in Chrome to translate. According to the owner of the pit bulls, Guillermor Lorenzo, "the young man had stayed a few days in his house due to a favor he wanted to do to the minor. However, the owner of the house had canceled access to the property due to alleged problems that dragged the child," states the Google translation.

"In fact," the translation continues, "the owner of the property had changed the main locks to ensure that Cabrera would not enter the house again, Lorenzo explained to News 23 DFW." Notably, the subtitle is confusing and contradictory. This may be due to a poor Google translation: "Apparently the young man tried to enter the back of the house where he had stayed for a few days but where he never met the dogs that lived there," states the Google translation.

Lorenzo admits the boy had been staying at his home for a few days. English media outlets only stated that Lorenzo had seen the teenager a day earlier. This is a powerful difference relationship-wise. Despite the contradictory subtitle, certainly Nelson Cabrera, 16, would have known about Lorenzo's multiple pit bulls -- unless he was blind and mute -- since he had been living at his modest home for several days. There is no mention of Cabrera's parents or family members.

Multi-Pit Bull Household, Breeding

There were three adult pit bulls and at least four pit bull puppies in Lorenzo's home at the time of the deadly attack. Lorenzo admitted to his neighbor, Elizabeth Cantu, who feared the dogs, that his pit bulls could be aggressive. Lorenzo's daughter, Christina Lorena, who took to social media after Cabrera's death and stated, "That's what yo ass gets," referring to his death, also admitted that "Bella" is mean. "Bella the one the officer shot yes, she is mean really mean," Lorena wrote.

Lorena also wants the two adult pit bulls being held in quarantine returned to her family. A person impersonating the Facebook profile of John Nezat left a comment on a recent post by Lorena stating: "Hello we are pitbull lovers and trying to reach your father to help him get his dogs back! We are so sorry for the loss of pregnant bella we would hate to see the loss of the other 2 babies please reply to our message on messager. We do have connections so please reatch out [sic]."

Killed Before His 17th Birthday

The Daily Mail published photos of a younger Cabrera from a montage created by Rosy Cabrera, who is believed to be his grandmother. "The happiest days of my life with my beautiful child, thank God for giving me these beautiful moments," Rosy wrote. One mourner posted a photo of a Cabrera cutting a cake and stated: "Today would have been your 16th birthday. I'm still in shock you were taken yesterday." He was killed one day before his 17th birthday, reports CBS DFW.

It's hard to believe Cabrera "never met the dogs that lived there," as the Google translation states. On the day of the deadly mauling, Lorenzo was featured in multiple English speaking news videos, making the claim he only met the boy a day earlier. The Univision piece is in direct contrast to the "unknown intruder scenario" that was syndicated by English media from coast-to-coast after his horrific death. Unless his family speaks out, we may learn nothing else about his background.

Nelson Cabrera, seen younger, was killed by three pit bulls one day before his 17th birthday.

08/11/19: Texas Teen Dies by Dog Mauling
Irving, TX - Early Saturday morning, three pit bulls secured in their fenced-in yard brutally attacked a 16-year old male. Irving police received reports of the attack about 4:45 am in the 800 block of East Third Street. Arriving officers jumped the fence and tried to stop the vicious attack by placing themselves between the teenager and the dogs, firing on the pit bulls in the process. One pit bull was shot in the jaw. The victim was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital with critical injuries.

Nelson Cabrera, 16, succumbed to his injuries late Saturday. Cabrera did not reside at the home and police do not know why he was there.

The dogs also bit one of the officers, who was treated and released. "I commend those officers for taking the initiative to jump over that fence and think about the victim before themselves," Irving police public information officer Robert Reeves said. The owner of the pit bulls, Guillermo Lorenzo, shed no sympathy for the teenager. "He has no right to be in [my] yard," Lorenzo said. "Nobody has a right to be in [my] yard." Lorenzo claimed his dogs were "doing their job" by protecting him.

Lorenzo is also a backyard breeder of pit bulls. On the day of the attack, Fox 4 News captured images of four pit bull puppies on Lorenzo's property. The female pit bull that was shot in the jaw, "Bella" was humanely euthanized due to "the severity of its injuries," police said. Lorenzo's other two adult pit bulls, "Bruce" and "Little Bit" (a longtime game-bred dog name), are being held in quarantine at the Irving Animal Shelter. Irving Police are still investigating the deadly dog attack.

Second Fatal Pit Bull Attack in Irving

In March, Johana Villafane, 33, was killed by her two pit bulls while visiting them at O’Connor Animal Hospital. Both pit bulls had been involved in a biting incident, but the Irving Animal Shelter's quarantine space "was at capacity," so Villafane took her dogs to O’Connor's instead. The staff told Villafane that her dogs were so aggressive they could not keep them unless she would walk them herself twice a day. During one of those visits, her pit bulls fatally attacked her.

The vicious attack lasted 31 minutes and was captured on the animal hospital's surveillance cameras. Police did not release any of the footage.

Cabrera's death also marks the second teenager killed by a dog this year -- the rarest of all age groups for victims of fatal dog maulings. Both attacks involved multiple dogs on the owner's property. In May, Ryan Hazel, 14, was killed by five protection trained dogs (Belgian malinois and Dutch shepherds) that he regularly cared for while their owner, elite dog trainer Scott Dunmore, was away. The 10 to 18-year old age group makes up 1.5% of all fatal dog attack victims.

Finally, less than two weeks ago, the Dallas-Fort Worth area (includes Arlington and Irving) made national headlines after an Arlington police officer shot a charging pit bull-mix and accidentally killed its owner, Margarita Brooks, 30, while performing a welfare check on her. The body cam footage was immediately released. The victims in the Irving dog mauling, Cabrera, and the police shooting, Brooks, were both homeless. The officer who fired on the dog was a new officer.

Evening Updates on Fatal Dog Attack

The Dallas Morning News reported that Elizabeth Cantu, Lorenzo's next-door neighbor, was awakened by the sounds of the dog attack at 4:30 am. "I heard yelling, I heard dogs," Cantu said. "I jumped out of bed and ran outside." I could tell those dogs were attacking someone, she said. Cantu tried to wake up Lorenzo by honking her truck's horn while her family called 911. She said Lorenzo had told her all three dogs could be aggressive. Cantu described them as "not nice."

Police do not know why Cabrera was in Lorenzo's backyard. "We don't want to speculate on what he might have been doing, but we definitely don't know why he was in that backyard," officer Reeves said. But that did not stop Lorenzo's daughter from voicing pathological vindictiveness. Christina Lorena posted to Facebook, "that motherfucker had no business jumping the fence while my dad was asleep! That's what yo ass gets," thus equating a "trespass" to the death penalty.

News flash to Lorena. In the United States of America, we do not met out a "death by dog mauling" penalty to any person, regardless of how grievous his or her crimes are because it is absolutely barbaric and unconstitutional. Criminal Trespass in Texas is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,000 and a jail term up to 180 days. For all we know at this stage, Cabrera may have been running from something himself. Irving police continue to investigate.

Texas Teen Dies, attacked by pit bulls Irving Texas

Four pit bull puppies seen on Guillermo Lorenzo's property after his pit bulls killed a teenager.

The pit bull owner's daughter stated on Facebook about Cabrera: "That's what yo ass gets."

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Texas Fatal Pit Bull Attacks.

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

Woman Nearly Killed by a Pit Bull While Volunteering at a Rescue Shelter in 2017 Shares Where She Is Today

Kylie Welch seen while hospitalized at a Pittsburgh trauma center after the dog attack.

The Vicious Attack
Meadowlands, PA - On April 9, 2017, Kylie Welch and her daughter survived a vicious dog attack while volunteering at Angel Ridge Animal Rescue, a no-kill rescue shelter that adopts out "special needs" and death row dogs. The male pit bull, "Dallas" had come to the rescue two days earlier and was placed in a pen labeled "friendly and playful." When Welch took the dog out for playtime, it unleashed a violent attack. Welch recently wrote into DogsBite.org to share her story.

Several months after the attack, the Observer-Reporter featured Kylie Welch and the man who came to her rescue in ExtraO-Rrdinary People.

Welch said at the time, "[The dog] didn’t just get hold of my arm. It was like when a dog plays with a rope toy, he was shaking his head, then regripping." Justin Killion, who rented a house nearby, rushed over and tackled the dog. He kicked and punched the dog and threw himself over Welch's body to shield her from the blood drenched canine. “He was relentless. He kept coming back," Killion said. Welch was bleeding so badly, Killion used his belt and a dog leash as tourniquets.

Welch was airlifted to Allegheny General Hospital where she underwent multiple surgeries for her extensive injuries, including massive muscle, tissue and tendon damage to her arms. One year after the attack, Welch spoke to WPXI. She recounted parts of the attack and said that Killion kept telling her, "Stay awake, stay awake. Don't die." Presently, Welch says that her physical condition has not improved over the last year and at times, the PTSD she suffers has been unbearable.

Dear Dogsbite.org,

I used to be a volunteer at an animal rescue, along with 3 of my 5 children. The rescue encouraged me to take photos of my children playing with the dogs, to show how friendly they were. On April 9, 2017, my daughters Emaly and Haylee (4 years and 8 years old) went with me to walk a couple of dogs in the evening. We chose to walk Dallas, a gray pit bull, and after playing with us for about 10-15 minutes, he jumped on Emaly, knocked her down, and opened his mouth on her face. He didn't get to bite down, because I was already pushing him off of her. So he latched onto my arm. The attack lasted approximately 20 minutes, until a neighbor saved my life. My daughters listened to my screams, and when I stopped screaming they thought Dallas had killed me.

That was just over 2 years ago. Emaly still has PTSD and issues stemming from that. She is absolutely terrified of dogs. Big or small, no matter the breed. She was terrified of a Teddy Bear PUPPY. Haylee puts on a brave face, but the second she's around a loose dog, you can see the horror and panic in her face. My PTSD has been unbearable at times. My friends and family have become frustrated with my lack of "improvement" since the attack, because I refuse to ever trust any dog, anywhere, ever.

Physically, I'm not doing any better today than I was last year. My arms feel tighter, like I have less mobility. I'm in pain 24/7 and it never gets better. I can barely bend my wrists forward or back, washing my kids hair in the bath is awkward and difficult, holding babies scares me because I never know when my left hand will stop working causing me to drop things. I work in a daycare, and had to give up working in the infant room because I refused to take chances. I have horrible scars, all over both arms, including a skin graft on my left arm. The children I care for ask me every single day what my scars are. They're only 18-24 months old, and have no idea what this kind of scarring is.

I am constantly ridiculed and made fun of. People who have pit bulls or love them call me evil, stupid, a terrible mother, a waste of human life, you name it and I've heard it. All because I never want to see anyone suffer through anything like this again. People with dogs try to convince me that I shouldn't be afraid of their dog because their dog would never hurt a fly. When I can't bring myself to be near their dogs, I get made fun of or people become angry and insulted. This attack has forever changed my life, and the lives of my daughters, and the lives of my entire family. No pit bull is worth that cost.

Thank you,
Kylie Welch

An unprovoked dog attack is life altering. The attack may only last a few seconds too. This was a relentless 20-minute mauling with the intention of mutilating and killing. Like Tina Pounds, who sacrificed herself to save her grandson from a brutal pit bull attack, Welch sacrificed herself to save her daughter, who was the dog's initial target. "Dallas" was later euthanized. The dog's "rescuers" also bear the responsibility of destroying the human-canine bond Welch once had.

The WPXI interview stated that Welch intended to file a lawsuit against Angel Ridge Animal Rescue. The dog should not have been in a pen labeled "friendly and playful." We hope the outcome of the lawsuit will provide Welch and her family with some degree of closure. Yet, no amount of money or passage of time can fully heal the destruction this savage attack caused: permanent disfiguring injuries, loss of limb use and enduring emotional and physical pain.

Present day photo of Kylie Welch's left arm (left) and right arm injuries while hospitalized.

Kylie Welch photographed with her young daughter who was also injured in the dog attack.

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