Posted on February 8, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Family Pit Bull-Mix Kills Baby Boy in Guthrie, Kentucky

Ashton McGhee died after being attacked by a family pit bulll-mix in Guthrie.

Baby Visiting Home
UPDATE 02/11/19: According to a GoFundMe set up by a friend of the baby's mother, 1-year old Ashton McGhee was visiting his grandmother's home in Guthrie when he was fatally attacked by a family pit bull-mix. "Ashton was playing at his papaw and mamaw’s house in Guthrie the night of February 7th when one of the family dogs came in from outside and attacked Ashton who was playing on the floor with a ball." The authors do not blame the attack on a "thunderstorm."

"Ashton lived in Hopkinsville, Kentucky with his mother, Miranda McGhee and his two sisters," states the page. "He loved Batman and was a very active little boy who was always on the go." Contributions will help the family pay for funeral arrangements. "Miranda is a young, and wonderful mother who is in great turmoil and absolute shock and grief," states the page. The fundraising team calls on the community to help "as she has to lay her sweet baby boy to rest."

02/08/19: Baby Killed by Family Dog
Guthrie, KY - A baby boy is dead after being attacked by a family dog, according to Guthrie Police. On Thursday night, police responded to a home on North Ewing Street where they found a 1-year old boy on the couch, unresponsive, but breathing, reports WBKO in Bowling Green. The child had "deep abrasions to the head, chest, and neck" from being mauled by the family pit bull-mix, police said. The child's grandmother suffered injuries while trying to pull the dog off the toddler.

"She suffered herself from some very deep cuts and bites on her cheek and her left arm. She was in pretty rough shape." - Police Chief Dean Blumel

Police said the boy had been playing with a ball on the floor when the dog came inside from outdoors. The dog immediately attacked the baby, including breaking the baby's jaw, reports WHOP. The baby and grandmother were transported to Tennova Medical Center in Clarksville, where the baby died of his injuries. The grandmother was treated and released. The dog was taken into custody by animal control. Guthrie Police have not released the toddler's identity.

Police suspect the fatal attack may have been "triggered by a thunderstorm." Given the rate of thunderstorms annually -- 100,000, according to the U.S. government -- and a population of 90 million dogs, there would be hundreds more fatal dog attacks annually if such a theory were believable. Also, a family dog "frightened" by the sound of thunder, would more likely hide, tremble or try to flee the noise, not attack a baby in the "head, chest, and neck" to seek relief from it.

Police and others have blamed "thunderstorms" on fatal attacks carried out by pit bulls in the past, including the deaths of Kathy Wheatcraft, 48-years old of North Carolina, Deborah Wilson-Roberts, 45-years old of Arkansas (2012), and Nellie Davis, 61-years old of Oklahoma City (2012).

thunderstorm triggered fatal pit bull attack

Pit bulls located on the Facebook pages of family members. Unknown if either is the culprit.

The fatal pit bull attack occurred along North Ewing Street. The block location is unknown.

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Kentucky 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 February 5, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Tucson Mother Arrested After Infant Found Dead with Dog Bite Injuries

Breanna Henson, 30, seen after being charged in connection to her baby's death.

Autopsy Report
UPDATE 03/19/19: On Monday, details of the autopsy were released of an 8-month old baby found dead with a dog nearby. The child's mother, Breanna Henson, 30, was reportedly intoxicated and arrested at the scene. Patricia Henson "sustained several injuries during the incident, including abrasions, lacerations, contusions, and puncture wounds; absence of soft tissues; hemorrhages; hematomas and lacerations; among other injuries," reports KVOA.

The examination of three bags of the dog's stomach contents revealed "human infant teeth and skeletal fragments." - Medical examiner's report

Three containers of gastric contents from the dog were also examined. The report states the manner of death is still undetermined. Thus far, Henson has been charged with one count of child abuse. She was charged in January and released into the custody of her parents. Criminal charges will likely increase against Henson if the manner of death is ruled a homicide instead of an accident. In earlier media reports, the attacking dog was described as a German shepherd.

Read the full autopsy report conducted by the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office.

02/05/19: Mother Charged in Infant's Death
Tucson, AZ - Last week, Breanna Henson, 30-years old, was arrested and charged with one count of felony child abuse after police found her 8-month old infant dead. On January 24, Tucson police responded to a home in the 7700 block of E. Apple Tree Drive about 1:30 am after receiving a call of an unresponsive female child. Police said Henson was intoxicated when they arrived. The baby was discovered with puncture wounds and scrapes, consistent with injuries caused by a dog.

No dog breed information was released by police, but neighbors said they saw animal control taking away a German shepherd.

The interim complaint filed in Pima County Consolidated Justice Court said Henson was intoxicated and woke up to find her baby unresponsive with "significant trauma." Henson was the only adult in the home. An autopsy was performed on January 25, but no results have been released. Henson was released into the supervised custody of her parents. Henson's next court date in scheduled for February 13. Pima County Animal Control Officers confiscated the dog.

An 11-year old German shepherd-mix named Jax was seized from Breanna Henson’s home.

A German shepherd was confiscated from the home on East Apple Tree Drive in Tucson.

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

This Year's Theme: "Who Wins Most by Sudden Death?"

2019 Super Bowl Themed Video

Last year, the Law Offices of Kenneth M. Phillips, the nation’s leading dog bite attorney and author of DogBiteLaw.com, released a video on social media. "Super Bowl Commercial That Says: 'Do Not Adopt a Pit Bull' - Share this to help show that pit bulls are too dangerous to adopt," states the January 18, 2018 Tweet. The video received over 8 million views on Twitter and over 100,000 shares on Facebook. The video caused such a stir on the Internet that Snopes investigated.

In 2018, rescued and rehomed dogs killed 19% (7) of dog bite fatality victims. 86% (6) of these fatal attacks were carried out by pit bulls.

This year's video out does last year. With a theme of "Who Wins Most by Sudden Death," Phillips reminds viewers that pit bulls cause real "sudden death" every two weeks in our country -- at least 24 deaths in 2018. "Most victims were family members -- and babies," states the video. Given that this is true, why would any family adopt a pit bull when the majority of these dogs also have a totally unknown background? The final message of the video is, "Do not adopt a pit bull."

WHO WINS MOST BY SUDDEN DEATH? Not Rams, not Patriots. Pit bulls cause sudden death every two weeks. Share this to tell people that pit bulls are too dangerous to adopt! #DoNotAdopt, #DangerousDogs, #DogBiteLaw, #Dogs, #BSL, #BanTheBreed pic.twitter.com/P1dWhIWdgf

— Kenneth M. Phillips (@DogBiteLaw) January 28, 2019

2018 Super Bowl Themed Video

The 2018 video is 30-seconds long and flashes a score of 29-0 across the screen with screaming football fans in the background. Then the type begins: "They killed the most kids. They killed the most family members. One breed killed 75% of the people who were mauled to death in 2017." At half way through, the video reveals, "Pit bulls killed 29 Americans in 2017." Then states, "That's nothing to cheer about." The final message of the 2018 video is, "Do not adopt a pit bull."

In 2017, rescued and rehomed dogs killed 15% (6) of dog bite fatality victims. 83% (5) of these fatal attacks were carried out by pit bulls.

After last year's Super Bowl, Phillips spoke to City Watch ('Do Not Adopt a Pit Bull' Super Bowl Commercial Pays Off!). "My video was one concerned citizen's attempt to teach and protect the public. The video was seen over 8 million times on social media and was even broadcast on TV news in some areas. If it helps to prevent just one death, one mutilation, it will have served its purpose," Phillips said. With that many views, his video most certainly did accomplished this.

SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL THAT SAYS "DO NOT ADOPT A PIT BULL" - Share this to help show that pit bulls are too dangerous to adopt! #DoNotAdopt, #DangerousDogs, #DogBiteLaw, #Dogs, #BSL, #BanTheBreed pic.twitter.com/ybNxkcI5M9

— Kenneth M. Phillips (@DogBiteLaw) January 19, 2018

We hope that everyone stays safe over this year's Super Bowl weekend. We also remind readers what the good doctors have to say about the pit bull breed. "Strong consideration to avoidance of any interaction between pit bull breeds and young children, particularly infants," (Golinko et al., 2016) and "Attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs." (Bini et al., 2012).

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Colleen Lynn

2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Elderly Amarillo Man Dies Two Weeks After Vicious Dog Mauling

An 85-year old man died two weeks after a vicious dog mauling in Amarillo, Texas.

Man Dies After Mauling
Amarillo, TX - An elderly man died last week after being attacked by two vicious dogs earlier this month. Ed Stanley, 85-years old, died January 21, two weeks after the dogs mauled him on his own driveway. Stanley suffered injuries to his legs, face and arms, according to officials. Richard Havens, Director of Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare, said it wasn't just any attack, "it was definitely headed towards a fatality" if a brave citizen had not intervened to help him.

On January 7, Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare responded to a 911 call about an elderly man being attacked by two dogs in the 4400 block of Evelyn Street in Amarillo. "911 was notified that a citizen was being attacked. Police, fire, and EMS, as well as us responded," Havens told KFDA. "We we’re able to get out there, secure the dogs, and then start our investigation," Havens said. The victim was treated at the scene then transported to a local hospital for surgery.

A next-door neighbor heard Stanley's cries and rushed to help him. He used a rubber stick to ward off the attacking dogs, reports KFDA.

"His legs were attacked, his face was attacked, his arms were attacked," Havens said. "Not only did he have defensive wounds on him, but with the dogs going for the face, it was definitely headed towards a fatality had it not been for the tremendous nature of this citizen willing to put their life and limb at risk to save another." The two dogs, a pit bull-mix and a shepherd-mix, were taken into custody. Shelter officials are reviewing the case for a dangerous dog declaration.

Both dogs seen in quarantine at the Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare shelter.

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

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