Posted on March 1, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

2014 Dog Bite Fatality: Bullmastiff Kills Child, Seriously Injures Another in Killeen, Texas

Raymane Robinson Jr., 2-years old, was killed by a bullmastiff in Killeen, Texas.

No Criminal Charges
UPDATE 04/06/14: The parents of a 2-year old boy killed by a loose bullmastiff hope their son's death encourages officials to change state law regarding vicious dog attacks. Currently, if the animal does not have a history of previous attacks or documented previous aggression, criminal charges cannot be filed. On March 1, 2014 a bullmastiff charged out of its owner's garage and attacked two children walking down a residential street, severely injuring one and killing the other.

The dog could have killed both children during its rampage (more had they been in the vicinity) and there still would be no criminal charges under these circumstances -- not even misdemeanor fines for multiple vicious attacks. At the very least, the owner or caretaker should have been fined $4,000 (Class A misdemeanor maximum) for each attack resulting in serious bodily injury, along with facing up to 2-years in jail. Instead, the caretaker was issued a $164 "dog at large" fine.

The Robinson family has launched a dog violence prevention website at noviciousdogs.com.

View Extended interview with Angela Robinson

03/05/14: Mauling Victim Identified
The victim of the latest Texas fatal dog attack has been identified as 2-year old Raymane Camari Robinson, Jr. Preliminary autopsy results show the cause of death as penetrating and blunt force injuries. Last Saturday, Robinson and an 8-year old girl were walking on a sidewalk in a Killeen residential neighborhood when a bullmastiff flew out of its owner's garage and violently attacked them. Robinson did not survive his injuries; the other child was hospitalized with serious injuries.

A YouCaring.com donation page has been set up to help the boy's family pay funeral costs.

03/02/14: Neighbors Respond to Attack
Three people, ages 18, 8 and 2-years old were walking back from a park on the sidewalk Saturday afternoon when a bullmastiff ran out of its owner's garage and attacked. Killeen police were called out to the 4100 block of Pennington Avenue regarding gunshots being fired. While en route, they were told a dog had attacked several children. The 8-year old girl was the first target and victim of the dog. As neighbors pulled the large animal off of her, the dog next attacked the 2-year old boy.

Police said the child was dragged down the sidewalk until one neighbor fired off rounds to scare the dog away. The animal fled back into the garage after the gunfire. The Coon family, who lives next door and have two children of their own, said it could have been their own. "We were in the backyard at the time when it happened. Any normal day we would be out in the street; it would be my 2-year old and 7-year old and they're out every single day on the street," said Neil Coon.

Mildred Lubina, who lives right in front of where the attack happened, is a nurse. She ran out to help the victims. She saw the injured boy and began administering CPR. "The child started to breathe, but blood was coming out," said Lubina. "Looking at the child, I felt so bad for the helpless child," said Lubina. The boy was rushed to Darnell Army Medical Center in critical condition, but did not survive. As of Sunday afternoon, the 8-year old girl is in stable condition.

Neighbors told Fox 7 News that the dog's owner was out of town at the time and that the massive brute that killed one child and seriously injured another was "being watched by his mother."

Misinformed Texas Media

Fox 7, along with too many other Texas media groups, once again failed to get the Texas felony dog attack law (also called Lillian's Law) correct. The root of the confusion may also be Killeen or Bell County officials. If the latter is true, we invite both to look at the track record of Travis County, who continues to successfully prosecute under the state law. Lillian's Law only applies to loose dog attacks where knowledge of prior viciousness can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sec. 822.005. ATTACK BY DOG. (a) A person commits an offense if the person is the owner of a dog and the person:

(1) with criminal negligence, as defined by Section 6.03, Penal Code, fails to secure the dog and the dog makes an unprovoked attack on another person that occurs at a location other than the owner's real property or in or on the owner's motor vehicle or boat and that causes serious bodily injury, as defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, or death to the other person; or

(2) knows the dog is a dangerous dog by learning in a manner described by Section 822.042(g) that the person is the owner of a dangerous dog, and the dangerous dog makes an unprovoked attack on another person that occurs at a location other than a secure enclosure in which the dog is restrained in accordance with Subchapter D and that causes serious bodily injury, as defined by Section 822.001, or death to the other person.

(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree unless the attack causes death, in which event the offense is a felony of the second degree.

Learn more about Lillian's Law at dogbitelaw.com.

03/01/14: Dog Kills Child, Injures Another
Killeen, TX - In a developing story, yet another monster bullmastiff attacked and killed one child and seriously injured another in a different part of the country today. Killeen Police said a 2-year old boy died from injuries inflicted by the dog and an 8-year old girl is currently in critical condition at Carl R. Darnell Army Medical Center due to injuries inflicted by the animal. The attacks occurred in a neighborhood near Iduma Elementary School at about 5:00 pm on Saturday afternoon.

The Killeen Daily Herald interviewed Carroll Smith, a Killeen Police Department Public Affairs Officer, in this related video. At the time of the attack, at least three people were walking by a home, ages 18, 8 and 2-years old, when the bullmastiff (unrelated to the victims) escaped its owner's property and attacked the 8-year old girl. People were able to pull the dog off of her. The animal then turned on the 2-year old, latching on to him, dragging him, ultimately killing the boy.

This is the second fatal dog mauling of a child in Bell County, Texas in under 15 days.

Join Texas Dog Bite Victims' Advocacy - Join our Texas email list to stay informed

Photo: The Killeen Daily Herald

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

2014 Dog Bite Fatality: 3-Year Old Girl Killed by Family Pit Bull in North Carolina

Braelynn Coulter, 3-years old, was killed by one of her family's pit bulls.

Under Media Scrutiny archived
UPDATE 02/28/14: The media continues to focus on the parents of a 3-year old girl who was killed by a family pit bull on Monday. The dog had a history of aggression, including breaking through a fence to attack a neighbor's dog in the past few months, the family had adhered at least two Beware of Dog signs to their home and today we learned that the attacking family pit bull, one of two pit bulls in the family's home, had bitten someone other than Braelynn on the day she died.

Officials said the dog bit somebody other than Braelynn on Monday, the day the child died. They did not identify that person. - News & Record

We presume this other person is not the child's mother, who was bitten while trying to save her child. The mother was identified previously as being injured in the attack. Last night, Nancy Grace, featured Braelynn's story, Grace asked: "Neighbors claim they have been afraid of the family dog, a pit bull, for some time, even keeping their children and pets inside. Recently a neighbor claimed the dog attacked their dog viciously. Are charges being considered, against mommy and daddy?"

*** Clarification Update ***

We just received verification from Joe Gamm, the author of the aforementioned News & Record article (Toddler’s family pastor speaks with reporters about the dog-mauling case) referring to an "unidentified" person bitten by the attacking dog on the day Braelynn suffered fatal injuries from the family pit bull. Gamm was referring to the child's mother, not an additional person. This is does not relieve the parents from media or law enforcement scrutiny and possible criminal charges.

Notably, last November, 25-year old Katherine Atkins of Kernersville -- just 14 miles away from High Point -- was killed by her boyfriend's two pit bulls. The couple had raised the dogs since they were puppies. The horrific death of Katherine, a beautiful young woman, captured significant coverage throughout the area. According to Braelynn's obituary, she was born in Forsyth County (location of Kernersville) and the majority of her surviving family members are from Kernersville.1

02/25/14: Mauling Victim Identified
The family identified the 3-year old girl killed by a family pit bull on Monday as Braelynn Rayne Coulter of High Point and issued a short statement about her death. A GoFundMe page was set up to help her family pay for funeral costs and expenses. More photos of Braelynn can be seen on that page. Braelynn Coulter, 3, is the 390th American citizen mauled to death by a pit bull since the archival project, Fatal Pit Bull Attacks - The Archival Record, began recording these deaths.

02/25/14: Previous Aggression archived
The Greensboro News & Record captured images of the fatally attacking family pit bull, male, along with two Beware of Dog signs posted on the family's home and documentation of the pit bull being held in quarantine as "very aggressive." Neighbor Katherine Dixon, 24, who lives next door, said the family moved in about a year ago and have two pit bulls. A few months ago, both pit bulls broke through a fence an attacked a neighbor's pet dog that was being walked by its owner.

The incident put Dixon and her husband, who have three young sons, on "high alert about the dogs," she said. "When I’m taking the boys out to play, if the dogs are outside, we come back in," she said. Dixon noted that she had not seen the second pit bull recently. Police still have not released the victim's name, nor is there any additional information about the family's second dog.2 The attacking pit bull is currently being held in quarantine at the Guilford County Animal Shelter.

02/25/14: Pit Bull Kills Child
High Point, NC - In a developing story, a 3-year old child was killed by a pit bull Monday evening, according to High Point Police. A family member took the injured child to High Point Regional Hospital where the child died. The incident on Big Creek Court was reported at 5:02 pm, according to early news reports. The pit bull was confiscated and taken to an unnamed animal shelter. At this time, the name of the victim has not been released. More information is expected later Tuesday.

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

1Braelynn's celebration of life ceremony is being held in Kernersville, a city with a population of 23,000 according to Wikipedia. Shockingly, the last time there were two fatal dog maulings this close together in time and location (2013 Hot Springs, Arkansas area), authorities learned that the two dogs actually came from the same litter.
2In a late Tuesday update, it was reported that the family's second pit bull "remains with the family."

Photos: News-Record.com

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

2014 Dog Bite Fatality: 4-Year Old Girl Killed by Dogs in Tallassee, Alabama

Dogs Free to Kill
UPDATE 02/28/14: No leash laws in semi-rural parts of Tallapoosa County? No problem. Dogs are free to roam and kill innocent children at their choosing with no criminal penalties to their owners. Several news reports have expressed that the grandfather's yard was either partially fenced or not fenced at all. It is a dog owner's responsibility to keep them contained on his property, not the responsibility of neighboring residents to erect fences to keep these dogs away from their homes.

"It’s heartbreaking what has happened,” said Tallapoosa County District Attorney E. Paul Jones. "We have investigated the possibility of charges. But Tallapoosa County doesn’t have a law on the books that says owners can’t allow their dogs to run at large. If there is no law, there can be no charges."1 - Montgomery Advertiser

02/28/14: Mauling Victim Identified
The child victim has been identified by authorities as 4-year old Summer Sears. She had been playing in her grandfather's backyard when one or more loose dogs brutally attacked her. A woman who formerly rented and lived in the home, Janet Conn, spoke to CBS 8 News. She said the grandfather, who owned the home, had been living there since and taking care of Summer. Conn said the scene of the fatal dog attack was horrific, as did Police Chief Jimmy Rodgers.

The way I described it earlier is what you'd envision when somebody gets attacked by a wild bear. - Police Chief Jimmy Rodgers

Authorities sent Summer's body to forensic sciences. Investigators hope to have testing results soon to ensure that the dogs in custody are the ones responsible for the attack. Both loose dogs belonged to a neighbor, Rodgers said. The owner could face charges pending an investigation. Conn and other neighbors said they had seen the dogs loose before. She and other neighbors plan to stay indoors for safety until they know if the seized dogs are the ones that killed Summer.

02/27/14: No Leash Laws in County
The Tallassee Police Department continues to investigate the death of a 4-year old girl. She was attacked and killed by one or more dogs late Wednesday afternoon. "The child was playing in her yard," Police Chief Jimmy Rodgers said. "Her grandfather went out to check on her and spotted a large dog standing over her," Rodgers said. "There may have been other dogs involved in the attack. He yelled at the dog and it ran off. He called 911 and officers responded," Rodgers said.

She was pronounced dead on the scene. Police believe they have the dog involved in the attack in custody, along with a secondary dog. Rodgers described the primary dog as a large shepherd-mix. In an earlier report, the child's grandfather said it was a white dog. "We have identified the owner of the shepherd-mix. We are investigating to see if any criminal charges can be filed," Rodgers said. However, in Tallapoosa County, where the fatal attack occurred, there are no leash laws.

02/26/14: Little Girl Killed by Dogs
Tallassee, AL - In a developing story, police say a 4-year old child was killed after being attacked by one or more dogs late Wednesday afternoon. The young girl was attacked at about 5:00 pm on Lower Tuskegee Road in southern Tallassee, according to police. The little girl suffered numerous injuries during the attack. Two dogs, so far, have been taken into custody by authorities. The animals did not belong to the child's family. Police continue to investigate who owns the dogs.

All 7 victims of fatal dog attacks so far in 2014 have been female (ages include: 89, 57, 43, 4, 4, 3 and 2). This is unusual and worth noting, particularly concerning young children. In 2013, there were 5 female child fatalities total. In the first two months of 2014, there have already been 4.

1Fail grade "F" goes out to Tallapoosa County District Attorney E. Paul Jones.

Photo: WAKA.com

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Colleen Lynn

2014 Dog Bite Fatality: Texas Toddler Killed by Pit Bull Being 'Watched' by Her Family

Family Owned Pit Bull
UPDATE 02/19/14: In a Tuesday update by KXAN, it was revealed that the child's family also owned a pit bull.1 "The Mayes family had their own pit bull that neighbors and family members say is friendly, and the kids play with it all the time," states the article. Details remain sparse partly because the local paper, the Temple Daily Telegram, is behind a paywall. Today, the Killeen Daily Herald noted that the attacking female pit bull also had two puppies at the time of the incident.

The child's mother, Cherella Lyles, said she left her daughter in the bedroom watching cartoons before the attack. No one realized the toddler was missing until it was too late. "She snuck out the back door to play with the puppies," Lyles said. "The mother of the puppies attacked my baby," she said. What Lyles neglected to add was that the mother was a chained female pit bull temporality staked out in the family's backyard, unfamiliar to the child -- a catastrophe scenario.

02/17/14: Child Killed by Pit Bull
Temple, TX - In developing story, a 2-year old girl died Monday after being attacked by a pit bull her family was "watching for a friend." The toddler slipped out of the house and into the backyard where the dog was chained. Temple police identified the victim as Je'vaeh Mayes. Officers were dispatched to the home about 11:30 am. While en route, however, police were notified that a toddler attacked by a dog had just been admitted to the Scott & White Hospital emergency room.

It was determined by officers to be the same victim. Je'vaeh Mayes did not survive her injuries.

The despairing other side of the scenario that involved 38% of all fatal dog maulings in 2013 -- the victim was either visiting or living temporarily with the dog's owner when the fatal attack occurred -- is the exact opposite and equally as dangerous, especially for children. When a pit bull or other dangerous dog breed is visiting or temporarily staying with a family with young children. No family should ever agree to "watch" a friend or relative's pit bull or rottweiler under these circumstances.

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

Join Texas Dog Bite Victims' Advocacy - Join our Texas email list to stay informed

1No other mention was made in news reports about this pit bull or if it was present at the time of the attack.

Photo: KWTX-TV

DogsBite blog ::