Posted on November 10, 2015 by Colleen Lynn

2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Tenant's Pit Bull Kills Visiting Child on Long Island

Amiyah Dunston, 9-years old, was savagely killed by a pit bull on Long Island.

Child Identified
UPDATE 11/09/15: Nassau County officials have identified the child who was stuck down by the powerful jaws of a pit bull on Sunday. Amiyah Dunston, 9-years old of Baldwin, was visiting a home on Holland Avenue and playing with two other girls outside when a pit bull suddenly executed the killing bite -- the dog latched onto her face and neck and shook her violently. The male pit bull belongs to Carlyle Arnold, who is a tenant on the second floor of the building.

Arnold's Facebook page indicates this pit bull was possibly being trained for bite work. The male pit bull, dubbed "The Beast" by Arnold, is also wearing a weighted collar, as seen on O'Brien's Canine Supply website that specializes in products for pit bull terriers. The organization notes on their home page that since 1984, they have enjoyed keeping some of the "best old family pit bull lines" which is code language for saying, keeping some of the "best old family fighting bloodlines."

Lastly, an update by the New York Post today reports that the dog is a 2-year old male pit bull named Kane. The Post also notes that Arnold is "engaged in a playful tug of war" in the Facebook photo, while wearing the weighted collar and clenching down on the ropes of a tug training toy. Whether Arnold was training for bite work or not, this same equipment is used for bite work training and certainly this activity is designed to strengthen the already powerful jaws of a pit bull.

Monday Evening Updates

The New York Post reports that Amiyah Dunston was visiting her biological father1 at 236 Holland Avenue when she was savagely killed by a pit bull its owner dubbed, "The Beast." Her mother, Mayra Castillo, was too anguished to speak to the media, but her finance, Brian Willis, who helped raise Amiyah, did make a statement. "Amiyah Kayla was a phenomenal little girl who has touched many lives with her presence, smiles and laughs. We thank you for all your support and prayers."

New information was also reported about Carlyle Arnold, the owner of the pit bull. Arnold, who is currently unemployed, has two open cases in Nassau County, a child endangerment case from 2014 and criminal possession of stolen property from October, according to court records. On Monday, he was arraigned on a new charge of criminal-contempt after being arrested Sunday for violating an order of protection involving his girlfriend, states the Post. His bail was set at $10,000.

The Nassau County District Attorney's Office and police are investigating whether to bring charges against Arnold in the mauling death, sources told the Post. CBS New York adds more details. Acting DA Madeline Singas told 1010 WINS, a radio station owned by CBS Radio, "We’re looking to see if this dog did have violent propensities and what kind of dog ultimately it was and if it should have been left with children." DogsBite.org strongly encourages this criminal investigation.

Please visit the GoFundMe page for Princess Amiyah set up by her family members.

11/08/14: Child Dies After Violent Attack
Elmont, New York - Nassau County authorities report that a 9-year old girl has died of her injuries after being attacked by a pit bull at 10:30am in a Long Island backyard. The child was visiting the home when the attack occurred, police said. She had been dropped off at 236 Holland Avenue to play with her friends and was in the backyard when the pit bull attacked her. A responding police officer shot and killed the dog. She was pronounced dead at Franklin Hospital around 1:45pm.

“I am not going to get into the details of what took place, but it was a violent attack.” - Nassau County Detective Michael Bitsko

At the time of the attack, the victim was playing with two other children in the backyard when the male pit bull suddenly attacked her. A woman who lives on the ground floor of the home tried to pull the dog off the girl, but could not. The owner of the dog, Carlyle Arnold, 29, was a second-floor tenant of the building. He was arrested at the scene for an unrelated charge of violation of an order of protection. Police do not believe there is any criminality regarding the child's brutal death.

In many places in the U.S., there are no criminal penalties for the owners of pit bulls and other well-documented dangerous breeds after their dog savagely tears out a child's throat, killing him. Pit bulls, which have an unmatched track record of killing people for over a century, frankly have carte blanche to murder innocent American children -- the law says it's okay. It begs the question: How "civilized" of a modern culture do we live in? The child's identity has not yet been released.

Late Evening Updates

The ABC 7 update reports that when police officers arrived, the pit bull was still mauling the 9-year old girl. The dog then dropped the girl and charged one of the officers, who fired several shots into the animal killing it. The pit bull, weighing between 70 and 80lbs, was carted off in a black bag. Witnesses told ABC 7 that the dog latched onto her neck and head, and fiercely shook her. At least one of the two other children she had been playing with witnessed the horrific attack.

Officials do not believe the pit bull's owner, Carlyle Arnold, was home at the time of the fatal attack or if he could have stopped it even if he was.

The Associated Press picked up quotes from Newsday, the local paper that is behind a paywall. Anthony Tyron Jett, 53, who also lives at the house described the pit bull (as seen in the top right photo) as "gentle" and was shocked when he learned of the child's death. "He was a beast. But he was gentle," Jett said. "He was strong. He was a pit bull. Like any animal comes into the yard, a bird or squirrel or whatever, he would chase it, but he was very people friendly," Jett alleged.2

We hope police examine Arnold's "training program" for his pit bull he dubbed, "The Beast."

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

1Amiyah's biological father was later identified as Tramel Dunston, who had been staying at 236 Holland Avenue, and was friends with the dog's owner Carlyle Arnold. Anthony Tyron Jett, who made the bogus Beauty and the Beast claims, is also Arnold's uncle and lives at the home. All three obviously were quite familiar with "The Beast."
2This individual is truly sickening. The lies perpetuated by Jett have taken the lives of hundreds of innocent people since the early 80s and the livelihoods of thousands more. We have all read Beauty and the Beast Jett -- it's a fairy tale. Jett's fantasy claim, "He was a beast. But he was gentle," helped cause the horrific death of this child.

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Colleen Lynn

2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Visiting Child Killed by Two Pit Bulls in Orange County, Texas

Tanner Smith was attacked and killed by two pit bulls while visiting a home near Vidor.

Family Shares More Details
UPDATE 10/29/15: Funeral services were held for Tanner Jacob Smith on Saturday. Many photographs and comments have been left on his Celebration Wall. Tanner's obituary states that he had only been living in Texas for 9-months. Tanner was a native of Little Rock, Arkansas and was raised in Lincoln, Arkansas before moving to Vidor. The Orange County Sheriff's Office has not released any new information since we learned of the two previous attacks by the dogs.

Tanner's family did provide more information about the attack to Inside Edition. The video and article published on October 21 explains that Tanner and his mother Ashley Phillips were visiting a friend whose father owns the home and the two pit bulls. Tanner's aunt, Melinda Greathouse, told Inside Edition that Tanner had been jumping on a trampoline in the homeowner's fenced-in yard. “When one of the dogs came running in the house and was covered in blood,” she said.

That is when her sister ran outside and found Tanner's body next to the porch, she said. Ashley had believed Tanner was under the supervision of the homeowner while he was playing outside, but he was not there during the attack and no one heard Tanner cry out, Greathouse said. For readers who do not know, victims who are attacked in the face and neck region like Tanner was, cannot cry out. They are instantly silenced as soon as the pit bull executes the killing bite.

“His whole left side of his head had a hole in it. His ear was gone. There was a lot of what looked like road rash on his face.” - Melinda Greathouse

This morning, Tanner's mother left a comment on our Facebook post. "I am tanners mother I was there when it happened he was on the trampoline two feet off the ground the next thing we knew he was gone... They drug him off the trampoline. There wasn't anything we could do," Ashley Phillips stated. She added in another, "Karen is right, he wasn't able to make a sound why because the first bite killed him immediately." One can only imagine the horror of this scene.

No information about the autopsy report has been released. Authorities have not identified the owner of the dogs either, despite two previous attacks and the fatal mauling of a child. It is unknown if criminal charges are possible. At what point will county officials admit that the local ordinance is insufficient, particularly regarding dangerous dog breeds? Simply calling the horrific and preventable death of Tanner, "a terrible tragedy" will not prevent new life-altering attacks.

The family of Tanner Smith has set up a donation account through Wells Fargo Bank. Please send donations to "Donations for Tanner Smith" at account #5817642019 (branch locator).

10/20/15: Previously Attacked Child and Dog
On Monday evening, 12 News published a follow up report. Resident Garrett Bean came forward and shared the story of his 9-year old daughter and her mother, who were both attacked by the same two pit bulls that killed Tanner October 18. The attack happened in February as his daughter, Shealyn Kendall, and her mother walked home from the grocery store. The mother said they were the same two dogs kept at the home on the corner of Aloha Street and Bahama Drive.

"It could have been prevented,” said Garrett Bean about Tanner Smith’s death. “When I found out it was the same dogs, I was furious."

As the two were walking by, both pit bulls and a chihuahua also owned by the homeowner, escaped under the gate and attacked them. Bean showed photos of his daughter's injuries after the attack. Bean also filed a report with the sheriff's office. He was told the dogs would be placed under the standard 10-day rabies quarantine. Then afterward, the dogs were returned to the owner. Bean said he is coming forward with the information now because it has happened again.

Previously Attacked Pet Dog

Today, 12 News published another follow up. The same pit bulls attacked a woman's puppy last year. The Orange County Sheriff's Office also confirmed the details of Shealyn's attack. Neighbor Jessie Moore told 12 News that the two pit bulls belonging to her next-door neighbor attacked her dog named Rocko in March 2014. She had Rocko chained next to her neighbor's fence when the pit bulls dragged him underneath. The attack left one of Rocko's teeth permanently deformed.

"To me it's not how you're raised. It's the breed. You don't hear cocker spaniels attacking and killing a kid you know." - Jessie Moore

A year and a half later, she is still paying vet bills for Rocko's injuries. "It was like a blood bath out there, just attacking each other," Moore said about the incident. Moore is also upset that sheriff's officials did not give the pit bulls' owners a warning. "They could have done something about these dogs a long time ago," Moore said. Sherifff's officials found neither owner at fault, but told Moore that she had her dog tied too close to the fence (so a free mauling was par for the course?)

The Owners of the Pit Bulls

There is nothing elusive about the owners of these pit bulls. They were very easy to track down on Facebook, along with photos of their dogs. What must be addressed now are earlier reports by family members who said the pit bulls had been around children before, thus severely attacking 5-year old Tanner came as a total shock. The shock factor holds no water now that it is known there were at least two previous documented acts of aggression, one on a person and a pet.

Just days after the March 2014 attack, one of the pit bulls' owners shared with her Facebook friends this particular AP article.1 Bam! This was right after her two pit bulls nearly ripped off Rocko's face. Notably also, the sole person who Liked the AP post had warned the owner in 2012, after the owner got a new chihuahua, that the new dog "was a keeper as long as you keep those pits away from him." Doesn't it make you wonder what happened to the previous chihuahua?

10/19/15: No Charges; Family Mourns
An autopsy is scheduled tomorrow for a 5-year old boy mauled to death by two pit bulls near Vidor, Texas on Sunday. Tomorrow is Tuesday, October 20, 2015 and would have been Tanner Smith's 6th Birthday. This morning his kindergarten classmates spent time making cards for his family. Imagine a teacher trying to tell a classroom of kindergartners that their classmate is never returning. Dear Tanner, heart Blake, read one. His family is overwhelmed and overflowing in grief.

"It is difficult because he is like one of my own … I hurt but I can only imagine the pain that [his mom is] in." - Melinda Greathouse, Tanner's aunt

Family members said that in Tanner's short life, he had already had multiple heart surgeries for a medical condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. They also said that Tanner's Scooby-Doo themed birthday party will still take place at a local park. The only difference is that Tanner will be celebrating up in the sky. "We know he's celebrating without us up there," Greathouse said. Family members said that donations can be made to the American Heart Association in Tanner's name.

No Criminal Charges are Expected

The Beaumont Enterprise reported this afternoon that the Orange County Sheriff's Office did not expect any criminal charges to be filed, citing that the two pit bulls were in a fenced yard when the deadly attack occurred. The family said that the dogs' owners were also devastated. An older couple lives at the home, according to Greathouse, and the dogs had been around other children before, including their own grandchildren. So the attack came as a total shock, Greathouse said.2

We remind readers what the founder of DogsBite.org told The Dallas Morning News columnist Steve Blow after a family pit bull attacked and killed a baby boy in Dallas last April, "They're always shocked." The simplest way to avoid these horrific tragedies is for parents to never allow their children to be near these dogs. Tanner Smith is the 141st child mauled to death by pit bulls since the CDC stopped tracking breed data in 1998. Parents, please make this wise choice.

In a scene almost too sickening to imagine, a 2-month-old baby in a bouncy seat was attacked and fatally mutilated by the family’s pit bull.

The baby’s grandmother expressed the family’s complete shock. The dog had been in the family and around other children for eight years without problems, she said.

But it’s no surprise at all for Lynn. In fact, it’s disgustingly familiar.

“It’s what they always say. They’re always shocked,” she said. - April 22, 2015, The Dallas Morning News

10/19/15: Pit Bulls Kill Boy in Texas archived
Orange County, TX - A 5-year old boy is dead after being mauled by two pit bulls Sunday evening. The Orange County Sheriff's Department identified the kindergartner as Tanner Smith of Vidor, Texas. At the time of the deadly attack, Tanner was with his mother, Ashley, who was visiting a friend at a home in the 1700 block of Aloha Street near Vidor. Ashley believed he was outside with her friend's husband, but then learned the husband was not home, according to the sheriff's office.

Once she realized the husband was not at the house, his mother went outside and discovered her son gravely injured by the two pit bulls.

Deputies and EMS arrived on scene and began life saving measures on the injured boy. He was transported to a hospital in Beaumont and was later pronounced dead. When the friend's husband learned what happened, he quickly returned home and shot and killed both pit bulls. Tanner would have turned 6-years old on Tuesday. His grandmother, Melissa Phillips, said he was bitten 16 times, including a horrific bite to the main artery of his neck. The investigation is ongoing.

Visiting Children Killed By Dogs

So far in 2015, dogs have killed 26 Americans. Pit bulls are responsible for 81% (21) of these deaths. 35% (9), of all dog bite fatality victims were either visiting or living temporarily with the dog's owner when the attack occurred. Of these deaths, children 7-years and younger accounted for 78% (7), and 89% (8), involved pit bulls. Texas leads all fatal attacks in 2015 with 5 deaths. Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, Oklahoma and West Virginia follow, each incurring 2 deaths.

Tanner Smith, 5-years old of Vidor, Texas, is the 470th American mauled to death by pit bulls.

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

1Bill Draper, Attitudes and laws against pit bulls soften, Associated Press, March 11, 2014 (news.yahoo.com)
2Subsequent updates to the 12 News article later revised this to "terrible shock."

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Colleen Lynn

National Pit Bull Victim Awareness Day Arrives

Pictured: Mia DeRouen, 4-years old, was killed by her family's pit bull in 2014.

Ways to Take Action
North America - Ten days ago, we wrote about a new information website launched by a coalition of over 50 support groups in the United States and Canada declaring October 24, 2015 the first ever National Pit Bull Victim Awareness Day. The new website explains the multi-part pit bull crisis: innocent people and animal victims suffering serious and fatal injuries inflicted by pit bulls and the open admission shelter crisis caused by the rampant number of overbred and unwanted pit bulls.

Imagine if the volume of these victims and the pit bull shelter crisis -- extremely high pit bull intake, occupation and euthanasia rates -- were cut by a third or even by more in just a few years? Smart cities and counties that have adopted mandatory pit bull sterilization laws are seeing some of these results. More jurisdictions are following suit too. A mandatory pit bull sterilization law is a powerful step toward achieving a safer community and reigning in pit bull-related shelter issues.

Ways to Take Action

The new website lists ways that you can take action. Please help honor the victims of these attacks and prevent new life-altering maulings by voicing the concerns of victims. Encourage your community leaders and policymakers to review the successful results jurisdictions have achieved after adopting breed-specific pit bull laws. Advocate for breed-specific legislation and support education about the genetic inheritance of aggression and attack traits in pit bull type dogs.

Voice the concerns of victims to your community leaders and policymakers.
Call for desparately needed mandatory pit bull spay and neuter laws.
Advocate for breed-specific legislation and share cities with successful results.
Support the science of how behavior is inherited in aggressive dogs.
Visit the Partners and Friends page for links to more information about victims' advocates, breed-specific legislation, the pit bull shelter crisis and more.
Visit the website for more ideas »

About DogsBite.org

DogsBite.org is a research and education nonprofit organization dedicated to conducting research on the growing, but underreported, public safety issue of severe and fatal dog attacks inflicted by well-documented dangerous dog breeds. We publish the results of our research to educate the public, law enforcement, journalists, attorneys and policymakers and to prevent new life-altering attacks. The public has the right to know information that helps them keep their families safe.

A very special thanks to Dogs Bite Decatur AL who has created so many posts about this day!

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Colleen Lynn

Dog Owner Pleads Guilty; Sentenced to Jail Time

Area where Edgar Brown was viciously attacked by five pit bulls on October 6.

Owner Pleads Guilty
UPDATE 11/04/17: The Oklahoma City owner of five pit bulls pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree manslaughter after his dogs killed a man in 2015. Juan Marcos Diaz, 46, was sentenced to one year in prison and three years probation. He received credit for nine months already served. Charges were filed against Diaz in August 2016, nine months after his dogs brutally attacked Edgar Brown, 60, who suffered multiple complications, amputations and eventually death.

"I caused the death of Edgar Brown in a negligent manner by owning a mischievous animal, a dog, who attacked and killed the victim," - Juan Diaz

On October 6, 2015 Brown stopped by a rental home on SW 38 Street to take out the trash. On Diaz's property, directly north, five pit bulls jumped a chain-link fence that separated the two properties. The dogs were only able to reach Brown by breaching another fence through a hole. "Flesh was hanging off his arms. It was the most awful mess I’ve ever seen," his brother Dexter Brown said. He died of his injuries on October 18, less than 2 weeks after the vicious attack.

Back in April, Cecille Short, 82, and her dog were savagely killed by two large dogs while walking in a northwest Oklahoma City neighborhood. The animals had escaped from an extensive hole in the owner's fencing. Witnesses told investigators the two pit bulls were dragging Short "by the head and neck area, causing her death," reports The Oklahoman. The following month, Antwon Demetris Burks, 31, was charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection to her death.

08/04/16: Criminal Charges Filed
Nine months after a pack of pit bulls brutally mauled a man to death, second-degree manslaughter charges were filed against the owner of the dogs. Last October, 60-year old Edgar Brown stopped by a friend's rental home to take out the trash. While undertaking this task, five pit bulls belonging to a nearby property entered through a hole in the fence and brutally attacked him. The severe bite injuries led to multiple complications, amputations and eventually Brown's death 12 days later.

Second-degree manslaughter charges in Oklahoma is a felony that carries up to 4-years in prison or by a fine of $1,000 or both a fine and imprisonment, according to FindLaw.com. Edgar's brother, Dexter Brown, has been a strong proponent for criminal charges since his brother's vicious attack. “People got to be responsible for their dogs and if their dogs kill somebody as far as I’m concerned you killed them,” Dexter said. Police issued an arrest warrant for the dogs' owner, Juan Diaz.

10/22/15: Man Dies After Pit Bull Attack
Oklahoma City, OK - An Oklahoma City man viciously attacked by five pit bulls while tending to a rental property on October 6 died on Sunday. The media did not report the attack. Edgar Brown, 60-years old, spent 12 days hospitalized before dying of complications due to his injuries. His brother, Dexter Brown, said he was brutally mauled by the dogs. While hospitalized, his health quickly spiraled, including suffering a heart attack, which led to a triple bypass surgery, he said.

Doctors also had to amputate both of the victim's legs and part of one arm due to infection from the severe dog bite injuries.

At the time of the attack, Edgar was helping out a friend. According to his brother, Edgar was asked to go to a friend's rental home to take out the trash. The trashcans were located just inside of the gate on the side of the home. The pit bulls, which belonged to a nearby property, jumped the fence and charged him.1 Edgar was able to keep the gate closed, staving off the dogs, but the pit bulls found a hole in the fence, ran through it and attacked him on the other side of the gate.

He was hollering for help, Dexter said. Then somebody honked their horn and the dogs fled back through the hole in the fence. "He had blood all over him, all over the floor, everywhere," Dexter said. "Flesh was hanging off his arms. It was the most awful mess I’ve ever seen." Edgar was taken to OU Medical Center where doctors tried to save his life. "We buried him today. We had his funeral today,” Dexter said. "He was the most wonderful little brother you’ve ever had in your life."

All five pit bulls have since been euthanized.2 Oklahoma City police are investigating the case. The mauling death of Edgar Brown marks the third Oklahoma citizen struck down by vicious dogs in 2015. All three deadly attacks involved pit bulls. Previous victims include, Carolyn Lamp, 67-years old of Coweta, who was killed by a pack of dogs in Redbird and Jordan Charles Collins-Tyson, 3-years old of Lawton, who was killed by a family pit bull while visiting a relative's home.

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

1Edgar's sister left a comment on the News 9 article indicating that the pit bulls belonged to a residence located behind the rental home -- the backyards of both homes were bordering and separated by a fence.
2The owner can now go out and buy a new crop of breeding pit bulls. There is nothing to stop him.

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.

DogsBite blog ::

2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Tenant's Pit Bull Kills Visiting Child on Long Island

2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Visiting Child Killed by Two Pit Bulls in Orange County, Texas

National Pit Bull Victim Awareness Day Arrives

2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Oklahoma Man Dies After Vicious Attack by Five Pit Bulls

Dog Owner Pleads Guilty; Sentenced to Jail Time