Posted on August 23, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

2018 Dog Bite Fatality: West Price Hill Woman Killed by Her Pit Bull; Police Call Case 'Complex Investigation'

West Price Hill home where Della Riley, 42, was mauled to death by her own pit bull.

Seizure a Speculation
UPDATE 08/27/18: Della Riley, 42-years old, was dead by the time police arrived at her Dewey Avenue home. Arriving officers encountered a dog, which police described as a pit bull, standing over an unresponsive female. Officers shot and killed the dog after it "aggressively charged" them. The coroner determined the cause of death was due to trauma from a vicious dog mauling. When police fired on the dog, a bullet ricocheted and struck the victim who was in a post-mortem state.

Additional information became known over the weekend. Jon Seymoure, who lives next door, admitted on camera that he "guessed" Della Riley had a seizure episode that set off the fatal pit bull attack. He also admitted that her young son did not understand what had happened. "He was about 4-years old. To tell his neighbors, but I don't think he understood what was going on," Seymoure said. "If she had a seizure, then the pit bull must have gotten afraid," Seymoure said.

"It's sad to know your own dog could turn against you and snap like that ... It's sad to think that he don't have a mother anymore." - Jon Seymoure

Once again, there is absolutely no evidence the victim suffered a seizure before her own pit bull fatally attacked her. The medical examiner made no mention of a seizure or a history of seizures. From 2005 to 2017, 54 dog bite fatalities involved a dog killing its primary owner. Pit bulls inflicted 63% (34) of these deaths, over 8 times more than any other breed. Pit bulls killed their owners in all adult age groups vs. attacks without pit bulls, where 90% of owners were ≥ 50 years old.

First or Second Attack?

From August 30, 2014 to December 18, 2014, Della Riley's Facebook page shows several photos of a male pit bull, named Graffiti, lying close to her son. On December 27, 2014, Riley posts an injury photo after Graffiti attacked her right arm and wrote: "This is what my dog did to me not to long ago. he didn't mean to do it to me he is a friendly and a lovable dog. Pit bulls are mid understudied dog" [sic]. Riley also states, "The dog is gone I'm not going to get another dog."

One of her friends reminds her in a comment that pit bulls "will turn on you any second" and that the dog could have mauled her baby. "The dog is gone. I had somebody take him to the pound," Riley replied. Riley never posted another public photo of her pit bull afterward. We do not know if the fatal attacker was Graffiti or a new pit bull she acquired after 2014. Media reports indicate there were two dogs in Riley's Dewey Avenue home during the attack: a pit bull and a rottweiler.

In a number of cases where victims were fatally mauled by their own dogs, the canine(s) had a history of aggression, including a serious attack on their owner beforehand -- attacks requiring surgery and hospitalization. Furthermore, Riley states back in 2014, "I'm not going to get another dog." Yet, she had two in her home when her own pit bull ripped her throat out in front of her son on August 22, 2018. In fact, she owned the top two killing dog breeds, a pit bull and a rottweiler.

Photographs from the mother's Facebook page from August 30, 2014 to December 18, 2014.

Nine days later, on December 27, 2014, the pit bull named Graffiti attacked Della Riley.

08/23/18: Pit Bull Fatally Attacks Owner
The Hamilton County Coroner confirmed that a West Price Hill mother was mauled to death by her own pit bull on Wednesday. The coroner identified the woman as 42-year old Della Riley. The coroner also stated that Riley suffered a bullet wound from a ricochet when police shot and killed the dog. Police fired on the canine after it "aggressively charged the officers." The woman was already dead when the bullet struck her, authorities said. The woman also owned a rottweiler.

First responders were initially dispatched to the home about 1:00 pm Wednesday after a report of a person suffering a seizure. The victim's 5-year old son ran from the house, asking neighbors for help. Jon Seymoure, who lives next door, told Fox 19 yesterday, "The mother had a seizure and the dog attacked her. From what I hear, he ripped her throat out." Apparently, the little boy witnessed the horrific attack. His father arrived while police were still processing the scene.

Media Release - August 23, 2018 - Death Investigation

Cincinnati, OH - On August 22, 2018, at approximately 1:00 pm, the Cincinnati Fire Department (CFD) responded to 1635 Dewey Avenue for the report of a person having a seizure. Upon arrival, CFD discovered a female being attacked by a dog inside the residence and requested assistance from the Cincinnati Police Department (CPD). District Three officers responded and encountered the dog standing over an unresponsive female. As the officers entered the residence to render assistance to the victim, the dog aggressively charged the officers, at which time they discharged their handguns, striking and killing the animal.

Upon further investigation by the Hamilton County Coroner's Office, it was determined that the female was deceased prior to the arrival of CPD. The Office of the Hamilton County Coroner, Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco, conducted a post-mortem examination that determined the cause of death was due to trauma sustained by the victim who had been viciously mauled by the dog. It was also determined that one of the rounds fired by the responding officers at the dog traveled through a nearby mattress, ricocheted off the floor, and struck the female victim in the abdomen. It was confirmed during the autopsy that the bullet struck the body in a post-mortem state. | View full news release - Cincinnati Police Department

08/23/18: Pit Bull Suspected in Death
Cincinnati, OH - Fox 19 confirmed late last night that a woman was found dead after neighbors say she was attacked by her own pit bull. The attack occurred about 1:00 pm in the 1600 block of Dewey Avenue in West Price Hill. Neighbor's say a small boy ran out of the home, saying that someone was having a seizure, and a neighbor called 911. The Hamilton County Coroner said a dog was guarding the woman when paramedics arrived, so police shot and killed the animal.

"The mother had a seizure and the dog attacked her. From what I hear, he ripped her throat out." - Next door neighbor Jon Seymoure

Police are calling the case a "complex investigation" and continue to examine what exactly occurred inside the home. The 5-year old boy is the son of the woman, according to the Fox 19 report. "It's a tragic thing that it happens like that," said neighbor Marietta Alexander. She said the boy's father came home while police were still processing the scene. She expressed heartbreak knowing that a small boy witnessed it all. "I feel bad for the boy, I really do,"Alexander said.

Pit bulls have been involved in several fatal dog attacks where the victim had a history of seizures. As many of these attacks are unwitnessed, it is unknown if the attack caused the seizure or if the seizure caused the attack, or if there was a seizure at all. Our nonprofit has no other dog breed on record, except pit bulls, involved in a fatal dog mauling where a seizure might have preempted the attack. Some of these victims include: Jamie Owsley, Tonia Parks and Kelli Chapman.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Ohio Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

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 21, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

2018 Dog Bite Fatality: Rocky Mount Man Found Dead Inside Home with Pit Bull Injuries

Rocky Mount Police found Gurney Walker, 75, dead inside a home with pit bull injuries.

Victim Identified
UPDATE 08/22/18: Police released the name of an elderly man who was killed by a pit bull over the weekend. Gurney Walker, 75, was found dead inside a home at 408 Buena Vista Avenue about 2:35 am Saturday morning. Police were called to the home for a suspicious event, reports WRAL, but they did not elaborate on who called for help. Cpl. Brad Summerlin of the Rock Mounty Police previously stated that Walker was "staying at the home" of the owner of the pit bull.

When officers arrived at the scene, the pit bull was inside the home. The Pitt County Medical Examiner's Office performed an autopsy on Walker's body Sunday, reports WITN. The cause and manner of death results remain pending. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Rocky Mount Police Department at (252) 972-1411, Twin County Crime Stoppers at (252) 977-1111 or Text-A-Tip (Text RMPOL) your message to CRIMES (274637). Your text is anonymous.

08/21/18: Rocky Mount Man Found Dead
Rocky Mount, NC - A 75-year old man was found dead at a home with injuries inflicted by a pit bull, Rocky Mount Police said. Authorities responded to a residence in the 400 block of Buena Vista Avenue about 2:35 am Saturday and discovered the man deceased inside. Police said the man had sustained injuries from a pit bull. The victim's identity was not released. His body was taken to the Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy. Police continue to investigate his death.

This is the third fatal pit bull attack in North Carolina in nine months. On August 9, a 66-year old woman, still unnamed, was killed by two pit bulls while walking in a Lake Tillery development in Montgomery County. Last November, 65-year old David Baber of Hamlet was killed by two of his five dogs, a pit bull and a mixed-breed, in his fenced-in backyard in Richmond County. A 9-year old boy witnessed the attack and threw bricks at the dogs to no avail, trying to get them to stop.

A License to Kill

On Wednesday, the Rocky Mount Telegram added new information. In a press release issued by Rocky Mount Police, Cpl. Brad Summerlin said the man was "staying at the home" of the owner of the pit bull on Buena Vista Avenue when the fatal attack occurred -- yet another common fatal pit bull mauling scenario. Summerlin said he doesn’t believe the owner of the pit bull will face any criminal charges. “The dog has been seized and is in quarantine at this time,” Summerlin said.

Since January 1, 2018, canines have killed at least 20 Americans. Pit bulls were involved in three-quarters of these attacks. Criminal charges have been brought in only one case, 5% of fatalities this year. One might presume the lone criminal case involved an at large pit bull mauling and killing a woman walking down the street in broad daylight, such as in the deaths of Karen Brown and more recently in Lake Tillery. That is a false presumption. Having pit bulls is a license to kill.

©Google Maps | Street location of the fatal pit bull mauling in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

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

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

2018 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman, 64, Killed by Pit Bulls in Lake Tillery Development in Montgomery County

A 64-year old woman was killed by two pit bulls at a Lake Tillery development.

Victim Identified
UPDATE 08/27/18: The woman mauled to death by two pit bulls at a Lake Tillery development on August 9 has been identified by authorities. Olga Rekhson, 64-years old, was the victim of the fatal dog attack, according to Capt. Kelsey Brown with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Rekhson was taking her daily walk at the time. When she did not return home after several hours, her husband and friends began searching for her. Unable to locate her, they called 911.

Within hours, she was discovered deceased on the side of an unused road within the development. An investigation conducted with the assistance of the Medical Examiner's Office, NC Wildlife Resources Commission and Animal Control revealed Rekhson had been attacked by dogs. "Law enforcement searched the neighborhood and located two pit bull dogs with physical evidence reflecting the dog's involvement," states a news release from the sheriff's office.

08/17/18: Victim Still Unidentified
Over a week after a woman was mauled to death by two pit bulls in a Lake Tillery development, neither the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office or the sheriff’s office will release the victim's name. Authorities also did not release the location of the attack; Lake Tillery has multiple developments and is over 10 miles in length. Three days ago, a person on the Montgomery Herald's Facebook post said the deadly attack occurred in the Holiday Shores community.

A spokesman with the district attorney's office told the Courier-Tribune Friday that her death is still under investigation. An August 10 statement by Montgomery County Sheriff Chris Watkins specified the "owner of the dogs is cooperating with officials" and characterized the fatal pit bull mauling as a "tragic event." Watkins also specified last Saturday that the case remained a death investigation, not a criminal one. So, why the release of her name has been delayed is unclear.

08/10/18: Pit Bulls Kill Woman
Troy, NC - Montgomery County Sheriff Chris Watkins released a statement Friday about a 66-year old woman mauled to death by two pit bulls in a Lake Tillery development on the western side of the county. She was discovered "deceased on the side of an unused road within the development." Two pit bull dogs "with physical evidence reflecting the dog's involvement" were located and taken into custody by animal control. The victim's name has not been released.

Google Maps shows that there is only one substantial development on the eastern shore of Lake Tillery. The woman was taking her daily walk when it came to a violent end -- she was horribly struck down by two loose pit bulls. The inclusion of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission in the investigation may have been due to excluding the possibility the attacker was a wild animal. This 66-year old female victim is the 545th person mauled to death by a pit bull in the United States.

On Thursday, August 9, 2018, a resident of a Lake Tillery development on the western side of Montgomery County went missing while taking her daily walk. After several hours the 66 year old female did not return home. Her husband called neighbors and friends who searched the area. They were unable to locate her and call 911. Sheriff's deputies and search and rescue were sent to the scene. Within hours she was discovered deceased on the side of an unused road within the development. An investigation was conducted with the assistance of the Medical Examiner's Office, NC Wildlife Resources Commission and Animal Control. The investigation revealed she had been attacked by dogs. Law enforcement searched the neighborhood and located two pit bull dogs with physical evidence reflecting the dog's involvement. The animals were taken into custody by Animal Control and are being quarantined. The owner of the dogs is cooperating with officials and the matter is still under investigation and review by the District Attorney's Office. The name of the victim is being withheld until family members can be notified. The victim is being sent to the NC Medical Examiner's Office in Raleigh for an autopsy. "This is a very tragic event, which has deeply affected the family, friends, deputies and first responders, our thoughts and prayers are being extended to all." - Montgomery County Sheriff Chris Watkins

On Saturday, Montgomery County Sheriff Chris Watkins told the News & Observer, "The owner agreed for the dogs to be euthanized so they could be forensically examined to see if they suffered from rabies." Medical examiners also wanted to examine the canines' jaw sizes, Watkins said. As of Saturday, the most recent fatal pit bull attack remained a death investigation, not a criminal investigation. As of Sunday afternoon, the victim's name still has not been released.

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

Posted on August 4, 2018 by Colleen Lynn

2018 Dog Bite Fatality: Large Pit Bull Kills Woman on Chicago's Far South Side

Karen Brown, known as "Punchi", was killed by a large pit bull in South Deering.

Dog's Owners Flee
UPDATE 08/06/18: An autopsy Sunday determined that Karen Brown, 57, died from multiple injuries inflicted by a dog. The manner of death was ruled accidental, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Brown was viciously attacked by a loose pit bull on Saturday in the 10100 block of South Calhoun Avenue on Chicago's Far South Side. According to neighbors, the pit bull was kept in an unfenced backyard by owners who kept multiple dogs in crates.

The owners of the pit bull vacated their home and fled after their dog brutally attacked and killed Karen Brown, according to neighbors.

A community vigil was held Sunday at the scene of the deadly dog mauling. Over 100 people attended. Friends said that Brown was on her way to a home on the street to start house sitting when she was attacked. In addition to at least one previous attack, residents said the pit bull had long been a problem in the neighborhood. When police officers responded Saturday, a hail of gunfire was heard in the neighborhood. Officers fired up to 30 bullets at the pit bull, killing it.

08/04/18: Pit Bull Kills Woman
Chicago, IL - A 57-year old woman is dead after being mauled to death by a large pit bull, Chicago police said. The victim was in the 10100 block of South Calhoun Avenue in the South Deering neighborhood at 12:25 pm when the dog attacked, biting her neck and all over her body. A pair of police officers shot and killed the animal after it lunged at them. She was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Police continue to investigate.

ABC 7 reports that residents knew the victim as a "jack of all trades" type in the neighborhood, like cutting grass and going to get groceries for neighbors. She could always be counted on to offer a helping hand. She was about to cut grass when the pit bull violently attacked her. Chicago police and animal control officers remain at the scene of the deadly dog attack. Currently, officers are going door-to-door trying to find out who owned the pit bull and how the animal got loose.

"I would have never thought … that nobody -- my family -- it hit home. It hit home. That she lost her life because of a pit bull." - Laniece Jones

In it's evening broadcast, ABC 7 interviewed relative Laniece Jones who believes that special precautions should be in place for pit bulls. "If you have a pit bull, it should be put away, locked up -- something," she said. An unidentified neighbor said his friend Rick was attacked a week and a half ago by the same dog. "I don't know how [the owner] manages to get away with it, but he does. They should be held accountable for that. They really should. That's a murder," he said.

Unfortunately, Illinois has the worst track record in the country when it comes to filing criminal charges after a fatal dog attack. From 2005 to 2017, canines killed 16 people in the state. Pit bulls were responsible for 81% (13) of these deaths. No charges were brought in any of these cases, including the death of James Nevils III. The dog's owner was issued two infractions. The child's grandfather was appalled, "My grandson’s gone forever, and all you get is two tickets?"

CBS Chicago confirmed the victim's name is Karen Brown. Her nickname was "Punchi." Family members say there will be a vigil at the scene of the fatal dog mauling Sunday at 6:00 pm.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Illinois Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.

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