Posted on September 30, 2017 by Colleen Lynn

Father Woke Up to Baby Dead in its Bassinet

Barrett Hagans, 1-month old, was mauled to death by a family pit bull in Pike Township.

No Criminal Charges
UPDATE 09/29/17: After a father awoke last week to his 1-month old baby mauled to death by a family dog, Knox County Prosecutor Chip McConville announced that no charges would be filed. "Based upon the autopsy results, there is no reason to believe that this child’s death was caused by anything other than a dog attack," he said. Barrett Hagans was attacked and killed by a family pit bull of 7-years as he slept in his bassinet. The dog had no documented history of aggression.

"While these events are horrifying, and perhaps preventable, they do not rise to the level of criminal conduct." - Knox County Prosecutor Chip McConville

Painfully, the baby's father, Teddy Hagans, was alone overnight for the first time with his infant son and his two pit bulls when the attack occurred, reports The Columbus Dispatch. The article also shows us why criminal charges were initially anticipated. According to McConville, police found dozens of empty beer cans, drug paraphernalia and a back room littered with "so much urine and feces in it that I could not breathe due to the odor," an investigator noted, reports The Dispatch.

As typical after many fatal dog attacks, the prosecutor echoed the same lack of evidence that is often required to file criminal charges. The father would have had to have knowledge of the dog's vicious propensities, posing a substantial risk to the child, and failed to keep the baby safe. Prior to 2012, Ohio state law designated all pit bulls "vicious." Had this law still been in place, McConville would have had a sturdier case, along with the appalling conditions inside the father's home.

09/27/17: Death by Dog Attack
The Knox County Coroner ruled that a 1-month old baby boy found dead in its bassinet last week died due to injuries suffered in a dog mauling. Barrett Hagans died from "extensive blunt and crush force injuries with puncture injuries" inflicted by a male pitbull/pitbull mix, a press release from Knox County Coroner Dr. Jennifer Ogle said Wednesday. The autopsy, conducted one day after the fatal pit bull mauling, found no other trauma besides what was inflicted by the family dog.

The baby's death was reported by his father, Teddy Hagans, 25, at 6:10 am on September 20. According to Ogle, the baby's bassinet was located in the father's bedroom. The pit bull fatally attacked the baby while his father slept. The baby's head was so mutilated by the time of the 911 call, the father did not even attempt CPR, according to 911 recordings examined by The Columbus Dispatch. At the time of the attack, the baby's mother, Courtney Cole, 23, was not at the home.

Authorities removed two family pit bulls from Hagans' residence after the mauling. Both animals were "euthanized for examination" via a court-ordered search warrant and the contents of their stomachs were examined. A previous report from Mount Vernon News states there were no prior incidents reported to the Knox County Sheriff's Officer or the Knox County Dog Warden involving the two pit bulls at the home. The status of the criminal investigation, presumably, is ongoing.

09/20/17: Fatal Dog Mauling Suspected
Mount Vernon, OH - A 1-month old infant is dead after what is believed to be dog mauling. Early Wednesday, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of an infant killed by a dog in the 16000 block of Wooster Road in Pike Township. Sheriff's deputies, the Knox County Coroner's Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are investigating the baby's death, according to a press release. The Knox County Dog Warden has removed two dogs from the residence.

In a 911 call, the baby’s father stated his son is dead and that the dog killed the baby, reports Mount Vernon News. The death of an infant nearly always initiates a full homicide investigation no matter what the baby's caretaker said in a 911 call or told arriving law enforcement officers. The coroner's office is expected make a ruling on the cause and manner of death. No other information has been released at this time, including the breeds of dogs that were removed from the home.

Late Afternoon Updates

The Columbus Dispatch reports that both dogs seized were pit bulls. A statement by Knox County Prosecutor Chip McConville simply says, “There is probably more that we don’t know than what we do know right now." A report from WCMH plays part of the 911 call, which identified the caller as Teddy Hagans. He said he "woke up to find his baby dead in his bassinet this morning." This could indicate culpability for the father. Police continue to investigate and collect evidence.

Video: The male caller in the 911 call identified himself as Teddy Hagans. And said that he woke up to find his baby dead in his bassinet this morning. He described a gruesome scene and told the police dispatcher that his dog was responsible.

Dispatcher: Your dog killed your baby?

Hagans: Yeah.

Dispatcher: How old is your baby?

Hagans: He's a month old.

A 2014 photo on Teddy Hagans' Facebook page shows a male, unneutered pit bull named "Roby."

A distinctly pit bull propaganda image from 2014 shows a different infant lying with a family pit bull.

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 September 29, 2017 by Colleen Lynn

Pit Bull Owner Arrested, Faces Two Criminal Charges

Kathy Sue Nichelson, 61-years old, was killed by a pit bull while visiting the owner's home.

Dog Owner Charged
UPDATE 10/05/17: According to an official statement by the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office, the owner of the pit bull that attacked and killed 61-year old Kathy Nichelson last Thursday has been arrested and faces two criminal charges. "Today, Detectives with the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office have taken Dante Holloway into custody. He has been booked into the Gilmer County jail and is charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Reckless Conduct," states the sheriff's release.

"The arrest is a result of the investigation into the death of Ms. Kathy Nichelson by a Pit Bull owned by Mr. Holloway. His bond is $50,000 for both charges," the release continues. We are uncertain at this time if the involuntary manslaughter charge is a felony or misdemeanor -- Georgia has both. Reckless conduct is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Several days ago, the Times Courier reported this dog had "some issues" in the past.

Reckless Conduct
(16-5-60) A person who causes bodily harm to or endangers the bodily safety of another person by consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk that his act or omission will cause harm or endanger the safety of the other person and the disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Late Friday, a local news group released the incident report and the arrest report. The second victim, who tried to give aid to Kathy Nichelson, was identified as Morgan Fountain. He suffered a facial bite by the dog. Sgt. Jason Newman was first to arrive on scene. He described the dog as having a "black and white face," and had "red all over its mouth and head area." Once fire units arrived, Newman and another deputy stood watch for the dog; it was later fired upon and killed.

The arrest report shows that two deputies stopped Dante Holloway and his wife on October 5 as they drove on 515 North. Dante exited the vehicle without incident and was placed under arrest. He was handcuffed and placed into the back of a police cruiser. Holloway's wife, Melissa, also exited their vehicle and gave consent to search it. Deputies found small bags commonly used for narcotic use in their search. One had white residue that tested positive for methamphetamine.

Multiple Vicious Dogs in Household?

Meanwhile, on the related Facebook post by the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office, locals continue to claim the attacking pit bull had a history of bites over the years. Authorities have not confirmed this. A person claiming to be Holloway's daughter, Lindsey Gazaway, states, "If you were looking at public records showing that there was a violent dog at that address, you're right. But it was my dog that bit the cyclists and animal control got involved." He has "since then died," she wrote.

09/29/17: Sheriff Confirms Breed
On Thursday, the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office issued a press release stating that a 61-year old woman died after being attacked by a dog. Very few other details were released. The Cherry Log community is about 80 miles north of Atlanta. Police later identified the victim as Kathy Sue Nichelson and confirmed that she died after being attacked by a pit bull on Goose Island Road. A second person was injured trying to help the victim. Deputies shot and killed the vicious animal.

On September 29, the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office issued another press release:

A-61-year old woman died after being attacked by a Pit Bull Thursday, Sept. 28th, at 890 Goose Island Rd. The woman, identified as Kathy Sue Nichelson, was attacked shortly after arriving at the residence. A passerby saw Ms. Nichelson on the ground and stopped to render aid. The dog attacked him as well, and he escaped to his vehicle where he was able to call 911. He received non life-threatening injuries.

Law enforcement and EMS arrived soon after. Law enforcement attempted to keep the animal at bay while EMS tried to treat Nichelson. During this time, the animal came towards public safety personnel aggressively, and the animal was put down by deputies.

An investigation into the animal’s behavior and its owner are ongoing. More information may be available once the investigation is completed.

Today, WXIA revealed Nichelson was a great-grandmother. The injuries the pit bull inflicted were so punishing, she will have a closed casket, as is usually the case after a fatal pit bull mauling. During the 911 call, dispatch asks, "Is she able to talk or anything?" The person replies: "No she's not because she's barely breathing. He bit her neck really bad." Nichelson had stopped by a friend's home. When she exited her vehicle, her friend's pit bull savagely attacked and killed her.

Nichelson's daughter, Candy Smith, said she tried to fight the dog with a knife, but she was no match for the animal. A passerby saw Nichelson lying on the ground after the mauling. He ran to give her aid, not knowing about the dog. The pit bull then reappeared and attacked him. One or both victims managed to climb on top of Nichelson's car. "The dog literally scratched the paint off of the hood of my mom's car trying to get to them," Nichelson's youngest daughter told WXIA.

After deputies arrived they barricaded the pit bull, but it broke free, apparently not finished with its "rampage" attack. Deputies fired on the animal, killing it. "To be brutally, brutally murdered like that, nobody, nobody deserves that," the youngest daughter told WXIA in a shaky voice. Yet, after the emotional shock and horror of this vicious, deadly attack, family members told WXIA they "don't blame the breed of dog," but rather the owner. Police have not identified the owner of the pit bull.

In January 2016, one of the victim's granddaughters, Deanna Melville, reflected a similar view of "not blaming the breed." On a public Facebook post Melville left at Villabolos Rescue Center, she praised Tia Torres of Pit Bulls and Parolees for helping the "missed understood animals" [sic] and the "only way and animal is bad is depended on how they are raised" [sic]. Melville also stated that she owned an American pit bull, named "Commit." It's unclear if Melville still owns the pit bull.

After further examination (kudos to the hot tipper who sent this in!), we see that daughter Candy Smith is also a pit bull owner. We pulled these comments from the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office Facebook post. "I don't blame the breed as I have a pit. I blame the owner," Smith states. Smith also blames the Good Samaritan who came to her mother's aid. "He was only worried about himself," she states. People like Candy Smith help ensure that these horrific maulings continue.

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

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Colleen Lynn

2017 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Dies of Injuries After Pit Bull Mauling in Mississippi

Connie Holley Storey seen next to tee-shirt fundraiser, "Connie Strong."

The Victim's Brother
UPDATE 09/21/17: On September 8, Connie Storey, 62-years old, was savagely attacked by her son's pit bull after she went outside to feed it. According to the dog's owner, Josh Storey, the animal had also attacked him previously. Connie suffered life-threatening injuries that led to the amputation of both of her legs. But Connie was a fighter; she amazingly survived another 12 days before succumbing to her grave injuries. How do her family members feel about pit bulls now?

Marty Holley, who claims to be Connie's brother, left several disturbing comments on the WTOK article. "The family does not blame the breed," he said, and falsely blamed the vicious attack on rabies (pipe dream). He then proceeded to spell out the "normal" attack manner by pit bulls in cases of serious and fatal maulings, claiming it was abnormal behavior of this dog. Marty should read up on how pit bulls execute the killing bite and frequently rip out their victim's throats.

"The family does not blame the breed. I am her brother. I love pits have only met a couple that have been bad. I personally think the dog a rabies. This dog did not attack like a normal dog. It attracted her drug her into the bushes, brutally ripping her thighs down to the bone. He bit her on the neck and behind her head, he them continued to rip and chew on her for the next 4 hours. It was a horrible tragedy. But I don't blame the breed. So that I squared up maybe you can do something constructive and tell people to vaccinate their pets." [sic] - Marty Holley, Sept. 20, 2017

One can see that even after a pit bull attacks two family members, and in one of those cases caused death, pit bull lovers like Marty continue to defend the breed and invent false stories to excuse away the behavior of a dog selectively bred to fight to the death in a pit. This is after a family pit bull killed his sister. Finally, Marty is yet again another "exhausted cliché" pit bull owner for signing (as a non-resident) and spreading petitions opposing pit bull laws in other jurisdictions.

09/20/17: Pit Bull Confirmed As Attacker
Neshoba County Sheriff Tommy Waddell confirmed to WTOK that 61-year old Connie Storey died from injuries sustained in a pit bull attack Wednesday morning. She had been hospitalized since the pit bull mauling on September 8. The vicious attack occurred in the Beatline community as she was feeding the dog at a home on County Road 276. The sheriff also confirmed the animal belonged to Storey's son. The pit bull has since been put down. No charges have been filed.

Connie Storey went out to feed her son's pit bull when the dog suddenly turned on Storey and attacked her. Storey's son called 911. - WTOK News

Connie had several sons. It's clear by reading through public Facebook comments that Josh was the owner of the pit bull. The dog had also attacked him before. The day after his mother was brutally mauled, he was asked, "Was that the same dog that attacked you?" Josh responded, "Yes." Then apparently, he shot the dog twice after it attacked his mother, killing it. It's too bad this aggressive pit bull was not put down after the first attack. Connie paid the ultimate price for this.

09/20/17: Woman Dies After Dog Mauling
Philadelphia, MS - Earlier, a person sent in a notice about woman who passed away today after being severely attacked by a dog September 8. Just hours ago, the Neshoba Central High School Class of 1973 Facebook page confirmed that Connie Holley Storey did not survive her injuries. "Please be in prayer for the family of Connie Holley Storey. Connie passed away this morning." The post also states that she had remained in critical condition in Jackson following the attack.

Friends and family, we have a fundraiser going as of today for Ms. Connie Storey. For those who do not know she was attacked by a dog and has been in critical condition in Jackson for some time now. Her injuries are extensive and though she is a strong woman the battle continues to be an up hill struggle for her and her precious family. - Neshoba Central High School Class of 1973

One recent Facebook post states that doctors had to amputate both of Connie's legs. Another post states, "she has many surgeries upcoming and a long road to recovery." One person posted a photo of Connie: "Rest in peace mama Connie Holley Storey i love u so much." Other posts acknowledge her death today. Just several days ago, the Scarbrough family started a fundraiser to help pay medical expenses. The tee-shirts are titled, "Connie Strong" with a prayer on the back.

What appears to be true, through the tee-shirt fundraiser and various Facebook posts, including by her daughter, is that people were anticipating her survival. We know that she fought hard to survive for 12 days. Multiple amputations after a violent dog mauling is a grave prognosis for any person her age. We expect to see local news reports about Connie's death in the next several days. We hope that family members or friends share what happened with local reporters.

The person who sent the notice into DogsBite.org said that Connie was attacked by her son's pit bull. We are working to confirm this, though it is apparent on Facebook that multiple male relatives own a pit bull. One of these dogs is shocking, possibly game bred, and should be named Satan. Karen Storey comments, "Good Boy! Just dont turn your back and ... if he doesn't know you ... BACK OFF! Wouldnt be the 1st time he's tasted blood. If he knows you ... No Problem." [sic].

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

Posted on September 20, 2017 by Colleen Lynn

Peer-Reviewed Medical Studies Show Pit Bulls - Meme Campaign

This image is based on our 2012 campaign Children and pit bulls do not mix

DogsBite.org - Last October, we issued a special report about retrospective level 1 trauma center dog bite studies published in medical science journals since 2009. Of the 11 multi-year studies, 10 showed a higher prevalence of pit bull injuries than other breeds of dogs. All major geographical regions in the U.S. were represented in these findings. Since 2011, the majority of these studies show a higher severity of injuries inflicted by pit bulls in comparison to other dog breeds as well.

We developed a meme series highlighting these findings since 2011 to empower dog bite victims' advocates and to remind journalists there is a growing body of medical studies in this area. The most recent, Characteristics of 1616 Consecutive Dog Bite Injuries (July 2016), refers back to eight different studies; their findings are consistent with six of them regarding pit bull injuries compared to other breeds of dogs: a higher frequency of injury and a higher severity of injury.

We encourage the public and members of the media to review our special report and the related level 1 trauma studies table, which spells out the study years involved, the level 1 trauma centers, the geographical regions represented and the medical science journals that published them. Currently, there is no national surveillance system for capturing breed data at level 1 trauma centers, but as evident by these studies, multiple trauma centers are already collecting this data.

In the Seattle regional level 1 trauma center, researchers were able to obtain breed information in 79% of the cases. In the Phoenix pediatric trauma center, they obtained breed information in 75% of the cases.

Our meme series starts with the most recent study (Golinko et al.) published in July 2016, and ends with the 2011 study (Bini et al.), whose results were confirmed by Golinko. "Although other breeds may bite with the same or higher frequency, the injury that a pit bull inflicts per bite is often more severe. Consistent with these findings is that of Bini et al.," states Golinko. The last two memes show the disproportionate death rate inflicted by pit bulls and rottweilers since the 1990s.

The last two memes remind readers of the CDC's findings 17-years ago, "there appears to be a breed-specific problem with fatalities," regarding pit bulls and rottweilers. The disproportionate killing by these breeds has only increased since. Back then, the CDC implored researchers to study the increasing problem of "nonfatal" dog bite injuries requiring ED visits or hospitalizations. Researchers have now done so, confirming that pit bulls are a focal point in this area as well.

Download and share these memes on social media. These memes can easily be shared from our related Facebook photo album as well. Sharing these memes could save a child's life or limbs!

Characteristics of 1616 Consecutive Dog Bite Injuries at a Single Institution

Open Access Characteristics of 1616 Consecutive Dog Bite Injuries at a Single Institution, by Michael S. Golinko, MD, MA, Brian Arslanian, MD, and Joseph K. Williams, MD, FAAP, Clinical Pediatrics, July 2016 (View related graphic).

Ocular Trauma From Dog Bites: Characterization, Associations, and Treatment Patterns at a Regional Level I Trauma Center Over 11 Years

Ocular Trauma From Dog Bites: Characterization, Associations, and Treatment Patterns at a Regional Level I Trauma Center Over 11 Years, by Prendes MA, Jian-Amadi A, Chang SH and Shaftel SS, Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, June 2015, [Epub ahead of print].

Dog Bites of the Head and Neck: An Evaluation of a Common Pediatric Trauma and Associated Treatment

Open Access Dog bites of the head and neck: an evaluation of a common pediatric trauma and associated treatment, by Daniel C. O'Brien, BS, Tyler B. Andre, MD, Aaron D. Robinson, MD, Lane D. Squires, MD and Travis T. Tollefson, MD, MPH, American Journal of Otolaryngology, January–February, 2015.

Morbidity of Pediatric Dog Bites: A Case Series at a Level One Pediatric Trauma Center

Morbidity of pediatric dog bites: A case series at a level one pediatric trauma center, by Erin M. Garvey, Denice K. Twitchell, Rebecca Ragar, John C. Egan and Ramin Jamshidi, Journal of Pediatric Surgery, February 2015, Volume 50, Issue 2:343-346.

Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs

Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs, by John K. Bini, MD, Stephen M. Cohn, MD, Shirley M. Acosta, RN, Marilyn J. McFarland, RN, MS, Mark T. Muir, MD and Joel E. Michalek, PhD; for the TRISAT Clinical Trials Group, Annals of Surgery, April 2011 - Volume 253 - Issue 4 - p 791–797 (View related post).

National Dog Bite Fatality Statistics

12-Year U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Chart - 2005 to 2016, by DogsBite.org, February 14, 2017. See the extensive discussion notes, which compares trends between modern fatal dog attack statistics and years studied by the CDC.

Breeds of Dogs Involved in Fatal Human Attacks in the United States Between 1979 and 1998, by Sacks et al., Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, September 15, 2000, Vol. 217, No. 6, Pages 836-840.

DogsBite blog ::

2017 Dog Bite Fatality: Family Pit Bull Fatally Mauls Infant in Knox County, Ohio