Posted on November 20, 2013 by Colleen Lynn

2013 Dog Bite Fatality: Boy Dies After Attacked by Pit Bulls in White County, Arkansas

No Criminal Charges
UPDATE 11/19/13: County detectives have completed their investigation into the mauling death of 4-year old Levi Watson, who was fatally injured by up to three pit bulls on November 8. According to the White County Sheriff's Office (WCSO), no charges will be filed against the dogs' owners or the child's mother. WCSO and prosecuting attorneys reviewed the evidence in the case and determined that it did not support criminal charges for either party. All three dogs were put down.

11/09/13: Family Members Mourn
In an evening update from KARK 4 News, no new details were shared about the deadly attack of Levi Watson of Bradford. Information, however, was learned about the boy's family. His father has 14 brothers and sisters, thus the number of aunts, uncles and siblings are extensive. Chelsea Watson, who has been outspoken on Facebook, is Levi's half-sister and the younger of the two women in the video. Relatives continue to try to piece together the moments before the attack.

11/09/13: Police Confirm Pit Bulls
White County authorities have identified the 4-year old boy killed by up to three dogs on Friday and confirmed that the attacking dogs were pit bulls. The child's name is Levi Watson; he lived with his mother Deborah Sizemore in Bradford, Chief Deputy Phillip Miller with the White County Sheriff's Department said in a statement Saturday. The dogs' owner is Bradford resident Justin Corbit. According to his Facebook page, Corbit graduated from Bradford High School in 2009.

Levi Watson, 4, is the 376th American killed by pit bulls since we began the Archival Record.

11/08/13: Young Boy Killed by Dogs
White County, AR - In a developing story, a young boy died of injuries inflicted by dogs on Friday at a White County residence. The boy was "visiting" a residence on Piker Lane in Bradford when the attack occurred, according to the White County Sheriff's Department. Chief Deputy Phillip E. Miller said the boy was about 4-years old and was visiting the home with his mother, when the boy exited the house and was attacked. Three dogs were present, Miller said, none were leashed.

KATV.com adds that the boy exited the home and entered into a fenced-in area where the dogs were kept just before 3:30 pm. That is when the dogs attacked. The child was taken by ambulance to the White County Medical Center in Searcy where he later died. Deputies confiscated three dogs from the residence; Miller would not confirm their breeds. Two adults were home at the time of the attack, the boy's mother and the dogs' owner. Authorities have not released the boy's name.

Recent Arkansas fatalities:
06/13/13: 2013 Dog Bite Fatality: Child Temporarily Staying with Aunt Killed by Neighbor's Dog
09/11/12: 2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Jefferson County Woman Attacked by Own Pit Bulls Dies
08/13/11: 2011 Dog Bite Fatality: 4-Year Old Boy Killed by Grandfather's Rottweiler in Ozark

Photo: Facebook

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Colleen Lynn

2013 Dog Bite Fatality: Spanaway Woman Attacked by Pit Bulls Dies from Injuries

Nga Woodhead, 65-years old, died after being attacked by two pit bulls in Spanaway.

Family Wins Judgment
In June 2014, the family of a woman who died of injuries after a vicious pit bull attack won a victory in court. Superior Court Judge Stan Rumbaugh ruled that Santiago Quezada, who owned the two pit bulls linked to the attack, owed Nga Woodhead’s family $1.12 million. Attorney Jason Whalen, who represented Charles Woodhead, Nga’s husband, said the family probably won’t be able to collect the debt. At least, however, the verdict becomes part of an official record, he said.

Attorney Jason Whalen represented Charles Woodhead, Nga’s husband. Whalen noted that the family probably won’t be able to collect the debt. He said it becomes part of an official record and sends a message to owners of dangerous dogs who do not take proper steps to restrain them.

“We’re ensuring that some sense of justice was done for an owner of vicious dogs that failed to take responsibility,” Whalen said. “Knowing this would be an uncollectable judgment, we’ve still established that those who own dogs that cause damage to another within a public right of way are liable for the harm.”

Quezada appeared in court without an attorney. He was never charged with a crime. The Medical Examiner’s Office concluded the dog attack caused Woodhead’s death. Prosecutors reviewed the case for three months, but could not build sufficient evidence to support a criminal charge; it was too difficult to prove Quezada knew his dogs were dangerous before they escaped. - Tacoma Tribune, June 6, 2014

11/07/13: Cause of Death Released
The Seattle Times reported earlier today that the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office said 65-year old Nga Woodhead died of a heart attack brought on by "extremity contusions, lacerations and fractures due to dog bites." The Pierce County Sheriff's Department plans to recommend to prosecutors to file criminal charges against the owner of the pit bulls, Santiago Quecada. "They were his dogs," sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said, "They should have been locked up."

On October 30, Nga was on her daily walk, about a mile from her Spanaway home, when the two pit bulls began attacking, her husband Charles Woodhead said. "She didn’t see the dogs coming. They ran up behind her and attacked," he said. Charles was with his wife in her hospital room on Tuesday when her heart stopped. The couple had been married for 41-years. Their 42nd wedding anniversary was Wednesday; the day the medical examiner's office released her cause of death.

"I’m sad and mad. I’m mad at an owner who has two pit bulls who should have known better." - Charles Woodhead

While under attack by the dogs, Nga was able to call her husband from her cellphone, but she could not tell him where she was. It was a passerby who tried to help Nga that got on the line and gave Charles their location. He arrived on scene minutes after the attack as medics were loading her into an ambulance. Her right arm was shredded and bruises covered her body, he said. The couple met in 1970 when he was stationed in the Air Force in South Vietnam during the war.

Nga Woodhead, 65, is the 375th American killed by pit bulls since we began the Archival Record.

11/06/13: Autopsy Underway
Spanaway, WA - A 65-year old woman attacked by two pit bulls on October 30 has died of her injuries, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. Nga Woodhead of Spanaway was attacked by two loose pit bulls as she walked down Pacific Avenue South. The animals jumped on her, knocked her into a ditch and began to horribly maul her. A 52-year old man who tried to save her was also badly bitten. Another passerby shot and hit one of the pit bulls causing it to run away.

After the vicious attack, the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office began looking into charges against the dogs' owner, Santiago Quezada who lives just down the street from where the incident occurred. Quezada said he didn't know how the dogs got out of his fenced yard and claimed then, "They're really nice dogs. They were raised with a family, with kids." Quezada also tellingly said, "I just want to say I feel really sorry about the people. And we're going to fix things, you know."

According to the victim's husband Chuck Woodhead, his wife died suddenly at the hospital where she was taken after the severe attack. He said he was in her room getting ready to be released from the hospital Tuesday when she lost consciousness. Doctors tried to revive her, but were unsuccessful. An autopsy is currently underway. Her husband also told KOMO News that he was told by animal control that Pierce County will pursue criminal charges against the dogs' owner.

One of the brave men that came to Nga's rescue left a comment on the KOMO News article.

Driving southbound on SR7 from the American Lake VA Hospital I saw a middle aged heavy set woman jumping and screaming for help on the other side and then I saw two dogs mauling something in the ditch. Assuming the worst, her child I veered to the center land, hit the hazards and jumping out bounding across two lanes of heavy traffic at 0900 on October 30th to find two pit bulls mauled a senior Asian woman. This woman was clearly severely injured and unable to defend herself as the two dog had her quartered and ripping arm and leg. Her clothes were already half ripped off and deep lacerations were clearly evident. I immediately start growing, yelling and punching the larger male pit bull in the nose as both dog turned their attack to me. Punching both dogs to lured them into oncoming traffic, I focused my attack on the alpha male and kicked at the female dog to insure both pursued me into traffic to use the passing vehicles as weapons since I was unarmed due to visiting the VA and passing through Joint Base Lewis McChord, Russian Roulette being better than certain death. Unfortunately a white sedan missed me and stopped short of hitting the larger male pit bull. I advanced on the animal taking control pounding its head into the road as the small female got my left upper thigh. Once that female dog locked on my thigh I tried to through the larger male pit bull into the next lane of traffic as a desperate act but the collar broke. I knew I had to stop traffic to get help. When that collar broke I turned my blows to the female's nose to break her locked jaw on my thigh. With success I immediate lunged on to the white sedan that was blocking one lane of traffic to catch my breath and access the situation. The male pit bull got my leather sneaker and was trying to pull me from the hood on the car. I saw cars stopping and a truck driving up the side walk to the woman location and the female dog was back at the old woman again as I kicked the male in the nose. I jumped and run to the ditch for the female dog to get it off the woman again as the male dog pursued me. I laid into the female dog punching and two men approached from different direction to the woman and the truck that came up the side walk. The three men were able to distract the male pit bull as I attacked the female pit again to get it off the victim. The female dog pursue me back into the street as I continued punching hoping the two men and truck driver would be able to keep the larger male dog off me. I shouted orders to the truck driver to run that dog down and kill it while the two men kept it off as I fought the female back into the street. One man was bit by the male dog while I was fighting the female in the middle of the street. Bystanders were approaching and some woman actually screamed at me to leave that dog alone!!!! I was slowing with exhaustion and the male pit bull left the man, truck and victim and came to the female pit bulls aide. In total exhaustion and was unable to counter the attack and the male dog locked onto my right forearm and latched cracking bones and ripping flesh. The cracking of bone was an instant shock and an eternity of hesitation. I punched it nose and pulled to prevent my arm from elbow or shoulder damage as I was taken down. The female bit my left punching fist so I used her head to hit the male dog and break it hold. Only with God's help it worked and I crawled to the hood of the white sedan again with female dog pulling at my feet. Unable to continue severely injured myself, I scrambled to the roof of the car. The pickup driver on the sidewalk in his truck next to the victim fired a personal sidearm as the male pit bull return to the two men and victim. I thank the off duty soldier and promised to bear witness. The inured male dog fled. With the knowledge of backup I scrambled to the victim to access and triage but the female dog returned to me and the victim. I gave orders of assessment to a new male bystander for the triage of the victim as I had to fight the female dog again. Due to shock, injury and exhaustion the female dog was able to easy lock onto my injured right forearm and able to crack bone again. With a punch to the nose I was able to return to the victim and make a visual of the injuries, Deep laceration to the all extremities with bicep hanging. I order the victim covered from the cold until professional help arrived. I scampered to my vehicle to call Brenda Roman to get the kids to school and come to my location and help me back to the hospital. As police approached I directed and order them to kill female pit bull as I limped back toward the animal that the men were keeping abbey from me and the victim. Three Sheriffs isolated the dog as I directed paramedics to the victim not me. Once the police finally shot the last dog and I was answering the medic’s questions I provided the police with ID and initial brief. Medics recommend I go with them, but I choose to return to my clinic where I knew everyone. Injured soldier that helped offered ride to nearby Madigan Army Hospital. Again I declined choosing to return to my Urgent Care at American Lake VA Hospital where I know everyone. - Ranger Rob

Santiago Quezada, who owned the two pit bulls, is seen talking to a KOMO News reporter.

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

Photo: Komonews.com

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Colleen Lynn

2013 Dog Bite Fatality: Kernersville Woman, 25, Killed by Her Boyfriend's Two Pit Bulls

"Terrible Tragedy"
UPDATE 11/05/13: WFMY News reports that 25-year old Katherine Atkins of Kernersville was lying dead in the backyard near the enclosure of her boyfriend's two pit bulls (it was reported earlier that she was in the enclosure). The two pit bulls were running loose, according to investigators. A man who lives at the home, a roommate of the victim's boyfriend, found her body. The two dogs, a male and female, were taken into custody by animal control and euthanized.

Katherine Atkins, 25, is the 374th American killed by pit bulls since we began the Archival Record.

11/05/13: Woman Killed by Pit Bulls
Kernersville, NC - A woman was mauled to death by her boyfriend's two pit bulls on Monday night. According to Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Captain Millard Shepherd, Katherine Atkins, 25-years old, was feeding the dogs at a home on Stable Hill Trail when they attacked. Her lifeless body was discovered inside of a dog enclosure. Investigators said Atkins had been around the two pit bulls since they were puppies and there was "no history of problems or aggression" with the animals.

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

Recent North Carolina fatalities:
12/12/12: 2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Yadkin County Infant Mauled to Death by Family Dog
10/04/12: 2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Pembroke 'Dog Rescuer' Killed by Own Dogs
09/14/12: 2012 Dog Bite Fatality: 10-Month Old Hertford Boy Killed by Pit Bull
08/16/12: 2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Person County Authorities Charge Pit Bull Owner

Photos: WFMY-TV

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Colleen Lynn

2013 Dog Bite Fatality: Baltimore Woman, 56, Killed by Her Pet Pit Bull

Terry Douglass and Boosie, the 4-year old male pit bull that killed her.

Policy Problems
UPDATE 11/04/13: On Monday, CBS Baltimore aired a headine segment asking questions about why a pit bull with a history of two attacks was returned to its wheelchair-bound owner. The animal's third attack killed its owner. Reporter Rochelle Ritchie states in the onset of the segment, "Advocates say it should not have happened. In fact, the woman had a huge gash on her face from when the dog had attacked before." Victims' advocate Tony Solesky is featured in the piece.

Tony Solesky is the father of a young pit bull mauling victim at the center of Tracey v. Solesky, an appellate court decision that declared pit bulls "inherently dangerous" in the State of Maryland. The high court decision attached strict liability when the breed attacks; this liability extends to landlords when a tenant's pit bull attacks. The Court issued the ruling in April 2012. The decision has been the subject of much controversy across Maryland and the Northeast ever since.

Ritchie summarizes in the segment, "Why the dog was returned to Douglass after it attacked remains a huge question that is unanswered. We tried to speak with health officials here at the health department. They would not go on camera." Solesky adds, "This is a problem of policy, and it's a problem they're aware of. The only time it gets addressed is when we have these horrific incidents." Solesky will continue to push Baltimore City Health Department officials to learn more.

View Related video

11/03/13: Health Department on Defense
The Baltimore Sun released an update on Sunday showing the failure and bias of the Baltimore City Health Department, which oversees animal control. The article states that animal control officers seized Boosie in April of this year after a biting incident involving two people, but returned the animal because they "did not feel the dog was a threat to the public." The department denied responsibility further by stating that Douglass was "adamant in getting the dog back" afterward.

No mention was made by the Baltimore City Health Department about the first attack, which left wheelchair-bound Douglass with a disfigured face 2-years ago. No mention was made about the landmark Maryland Court of Appeals ruling in 2012 that declared pit bulls "inherently dangerous" in Maryland either. Yet, plenty of mention was made about the pro-pit bull bias of the health department, instead of their central mission, which is to protect the health and welfare of people.

[Health department] officials said they do not have special rules for pit bulls, noting that any breed has potential to bite.

"Baltimore City Animal Control supports responsible pet ownership and not laws that single out a specific breed," a statement read. "According to the [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], nearly 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year. Dog attacks often result from multiple factors; it is not necessarily the breeds themselves that are dangerous."

Predictably, both the Baltimore City Health Department and Jennifer Brause, the executive director of BARCS, obfuscated this horrific life-taking attack of which there are only about 32 fatalities per year, by citing irrelevant CDC "dog bite" data that does not address dog bite injury severity and "any animal can bite" propaganda, which also does not address dog bite injury severity, and finally, Brause states, "We don't want people to look at [pit bulls] and say they bite." (Heaven forbid!)1

Article Updated 7:11 pm (EST)

Minutes after posting the above portion, "Health Department on Defense," The Sun article updated with new and noteworthy information. According to the victim's daughter, Tamathia Davis, "To get her mother to give up the dog, Davis said she wouldn't let her 1-year-old son visit from their home in Pennsylvania. She also said she asked the landlord to ban the dog," states the piece. Davis admits in the update that she too owns and loves a pet pit bull that she raised from a puppy.

The victim's nephew, Torian Wellsey, is included in the Sunday evening update as well. Wellsey was attacked by the dog along with Douglass in April (not her son as stated in previous news reports). Wellsey told The Sun, "The dog was a vicious dog. She thought she could control it and she couldn't." Wellsey said his aunt tried to stand from her wheelchair to reach for a glass of water, but fell onto the ground when her pet pit bull attacked. "He ripped her apart," Wellsey said.

The update also shows how BARCS and city animal control are distinguishing themselves. "Boosie was housed at BARCS' facilities during the quarantine period, but the city's animal control department made the decision to return the dog," states the piece. New readers may be confused about this kind of intertwining co-dependent relationship. One entity "confiscates" dogs and the other "cares for, temperament tests and adopts" them out; the former is like a tow truck service.

Apparently, it was the tow truck service2 that sent the two-time attacker back to its crippled owner.

11/03/13: Attacked Victim Twice Before
Late Saturday night, The Baltimore Sun published a disturbing update to the nation's most recent fatal pit bull attack. Terry Douglass, 56, died after "Boosie," her 4-year old male pit bull she had raised since a puppy, attacked her for a third time. Her daughter, Tamathia Davis, said the dog had attacked her wheelchair-bound mother twice before. The attacks began about 2-years ago, around the same time Douglass began using the wheelchair due to suffering from cerebral palsy.

"She loved that dog unconditionally," said Davis.

Davis describes the first attack as occurring about 2-years ago. The animal bit Douglass in the face so horribly that "whenever my mom would open her mouth, her cheek would open with it," Davis said. The second attack occurred last year when Boosie bit Douglass and one of her sons. A city shelter placed the dog in quarantine after the last attack Davis said, but allowed the dog to be returned home to Douglass even though Davis and other relatives pleaded with them not to.

Why Was No Pause Given?

The city shelter (BARCS presumably) placed a two-time attacker back into the home of a wheelchair-bound owner who had no means to control this animal and had already suffered two previous attacks by the dog.
The city shelter (BARCS presumably) placed a two-time attacker back into
the home of a wheelchair-bound owner who had no means to control this
animal and had a disfigured face due to one of these previous attacks.
The city shelter (BARCS presumably) placed a two-time attacker back into the home of a wheelchair-bound owner who had no means to control this animal and resided in a high-density neighborhood; the third attack could have victimized any visiting or neighborhood child.
The city shelter (BARCS presumably) placed a two-time attacker back into the home of a wheelchair-bound owner who had no means to control this animal and whose family members had pleaded with them not to.
Finally, the city shelter (BARCS presumably) did all of this despite being "painfully" aware of the 2012 high court ruling that declared pit bulls "inherently dangerous" in the State of Maryland from a liability perspective.

Pause certainly should have been given by the city shelter due these overwhelming issues.

Recent Pit Bull Owner Deaths

Terry Douglass now joins a growing number of pit bull owners who suffered a violent death by the jaws of their own dogs. Some of these victims include; Clifford Wright, 74-years old, of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Rebecca Cary, 23-years old of Decatur, Georgia; Deborah Roberts, 45-years old, of Jefferson County, Arkansas; Mary Jo Hunt, 53-years old, of Pembroke, North Carolina; Michael Cook, 61-years old of Tucson, Arizona and Darla Napora, 38-years old of Pacifica, California.

11/02/13: Woman Killed by Pet Pit Bull
Baltimore, MD - In a developing story, a 56-year old woman died Friday after being attacked by her pet pit bull. Police officers responded to a call of a "dog bite" to a home in the 2000 block of East 30th Street about 12:45 am,3 according to police spokesperson Detective Jeremy Silbert. Officers discovered the injured woman in the Coldstream Homestead Montebello neighborhood home. She was taken to the hospital where she died. We anticipate more information shortly.4

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

1The earlier Sunday article is time stamped at 4:41 pm EST.
2We don't believe the tow truck service made this decision independently of BARCS. Further, clearly it is BARCS that is steering the city's public policy on the "pit bull" issue.
3This attack only first came to light nearly 24-hours later. The time stamp on The Sun article is 11:16 pm Friday.
4As of 11:30 pm Saturday (EST), there has been no new information, 46-hours after first responders arrived. Given the endless press about the Solesky ruling -- much of it in defense of pit bulls -- it is reasonable to question why the City of Baltimore and local media are responding to this woman's death in this "tight lipped" way. The last Maryland dog bite fatality occurred in May 2006. Raymond Tomco, 78, was mauled to death by his daughter's pit bulls.

Photo: Baltimore Sun

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