Posted on June 27, 2012 by Colleen Lynn

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: 2-Year Old Boy Killed by Dogs in West Virginia

Dogs Euthanized
UPDATE 06/27/12: In a disturbing update about the death of 2-year Jack Redin, killed by two dogs on a property adjacent to his home, NewsandSentinal.com reports that the Sweeney brothers, David and Daniel, are the sons of Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Timothy Sweeney. Daniel Sweeney is allegedly the owner of the two dogs, but his brother David Sweeney installed an underground invisible fence around his property so that he could care for his brother's dogs.

The article also points out that the Pleasants County Sheriff's Office cannot confirm the breeds of the dogs, as apparently they have not asked the local veterinarian who had been keeping them in quarantine. The typical mislabels for pit bull-mix dogs were offered up by the sheriff's office: lab-mix and boxer-mix. Both dogs were put down over the weekend. An autopsy report on the child's death has not been released. No charges have been filed nor are any expected.

06/16/12: Community Mourns Loss of Child
On Friday, MetroNews published an update about the fatal dog mauling of 2-year old Jack Redin. Sheriff's Deputy Steve McFarland said that Jack and three other children had been playing in the family's yard that day. Jack had been riding around on a battery-powered four wheeler when he wandered away from the group into the neighbor's yard. When family members realized he was missing, they began to search adjacent properties with the help of neighbors.

"The whole incident happened quickly," said McFarland.

No one actually saw the attack, but witnesses did see the boy's father find his son's lifeless body. The two dogs did not belong to the property owner David Sweeney; the animals belonged to his brother Daniel Sweeney. An invisible fence was dug beneath the ground to keep the dogs contained. It's unknown how long David had been caring for the dogs.1 David was not home at the time of the attack. Funeral services for the boy took place Saturday afternoon in Parkersburg.

06/14/12: Child Identified in Fatal Mauling
Pleasants County Sheriff's officials have confirmed that 2-year old Jack Redin was killed Wednesday after he wandered into a neighbor's yard and was attacked by two pit bull-mix dogs. The dogs had been confined by an "electric fence" buried beneath the ground, but acted as no barrier to a child coming onto the property. The dogs have been removed from the home and quarantined pending legal proceedings. The name of the dogs' owner has not been released.

06/13/12: Child Killed by Neighbor's Dogs
St. Marys, WV - In a developing story, a 2-year old boy was attacked and killed by two dogs after he walked into his neighbor's yard while playing. West Virginia State Police and Pleasants County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene around 1 pm after the boy's father made an emergency call. The dogs were described as "mixed-breed." The boy's father discovered him in the yard behind the neighbor's residence, according to police. More details are expected Thursday.

1The dogs have also been called mixed-breed and boxer-mix -- common names used to describe pit bull-mix dogs. It is very likely the dogs are pit bull-boxer mixes, as the cross of the two breeds is not unusual.

Photo: MetroNews.com

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Colleen Lynn

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Pet Pit Bull Kills Infant in Lemon Grove, San Diego County

Tyzhel Latella McWilliams seen next to Zulu, which later killed the baby.

The Nanny Dog
UPDATE 06/19/12: The mother of an infant killed by a family pit bull last week called the baby's death a "tragic accident" and expressed disbelief that the very Nanny dog pit bull that seemed to "watch over the infant like a protective parent" would fatally bite her baby. "Never in my life I thought that would happen," the mother said in an interview Monday. The 27-year old mother moved into the single-story apartment 2 years ago with a girlfriend who owned three male pit bulls.

After Tyzhel was born, the mother said she had no worries about letting the dogs interact with her son. "They loved him from the beginning," she said. The fatal bite occurred as baby Tyzhel was playing in a room across from his mother. When he crawled into the bedroom, where his mother and roommate were, a pit bull named Zulu suddenly bit him on the head. "It just happened so quickly," she recalled. Sheriff's detectives continue to investigate the baby's mauling death.

Notably, all three male pit bulls, Blue and his two offspring Hercules and Zulu, were separated at the time of the fatal attack. One was fenced in the backyard and the other was in a crate in a different room. The owner of Zulu agreed to put the dog down; it was euthanized Tuesday. The other two pit bulls were released back to their owner. Outside of killing two cats that entered the fenced backyard, the animals had been friendly and well behaved, according to both women.

06/15/12: Details Still Remain Unclear
Authorities have not yet released the circumstances of the attack or how the baby boy was being supervised at the time. It is also unclear if the boy's mother or her roommate is the owner of the three pit bulls. A woman who works with a nonprofit that helps struggling women knows the mother and her son, baby Tyzhel. Anika Grothe, a case manager, said the mother has had "nothing but hard times, and here she is trying to redo her life and something like this happens."

A separate article by 10News.com reports that the same social agency is working with the Lemon Grove branch of U.S. Bank to set up a fund to help with funeral expenses and provide counseling for the mother. The agency also told 10News that it was "just one of the dogs that attacked the boy in his crib." Currently, all three male pit bulls are being held at Chula Vista Animal Care Facility. Sheriff's homicide officials continue to investigate the case; criminal charges may be pending.

06/15/12: Infant Killed by Pet Pit Bull(s)
Lemon Grove, CA - In a developing story, an 8-month old boy was mauled to death by up to three pit bulls Thursday. The attack happened just before 5 pm in Lemon Grove. When deputies arrived to the scene, a woman was holding the injured boy. By Thursday evening, officials confirmed the infant died after being transported to Rady Children's Hospital. Authorities also confirmed that animal control officers seized three pit bulls from the scene. More details are expected soon.

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

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Colleen Lynn

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: 2-Year Old Killed by Dogs in Charleston County

Ja'Marr Tiller, 2-years old, was killed by two dogs in Charleston County.

Killed by Dogs
UPDATE 06/05/12: The two dogs initially seized by authorities are the dogs that killed Ja'Marr. A forensic dentist examined photos and bite mark impressions, and compared them to plaster casts made of the dogs' teeth. Charleston County Coroner Rae Wooten said the impressions are consistent. Wooten said she might convene a coroner’s inquest to determine who, if anyone, owns the dogs and who was supposed to be watching the boy while his mother was away.

05/28/12: Autopsy Partly Inconclusive
An autopsy of a young boy killed by at least one dog outside his Mnt. Pleasant home has proved partly inconclusive. Charleston County Coroner Rae Wooten said the boy died from blunt and sharp trauma injuries. To determine which of the two dogs or if both (or if neither) were involved, authorities will call in animal-bite specialists. The latest article also reveals that the two suspected dogs were not family dogs, but the victim's uncle had been feeding the animals for years.

Sheriff Al Cannon said it's possible that another dog may have been involved. Deputies were called to the home several years ago for another dog attack, according to Cannon, but he did not provide additional details. Investigators do not know how the child was able to leave his room and get out of the house Cannon said, and noted that there were five people inside of the home at the time of the fatal mauling. The investigation is ongoing; no charges have been filed.

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South Carolina Fatal Dog Attacks 2005 to Present

Since 2005, DogsBite.org has recorded 11 fatal dog attacks in South Carolina. The combination of pit bulls (6) and rottweilers (2) accounted for 73% (8) of these deaths. A different dog breed was attributed to each of the other three deaths with one breed(s) pending. Notably, 45% of these incidents involved charges being brought, with again, one pending. This rate of filing charges is far higher than the national level of 22% based upon the 7-year period of 2005 to 2011.

05/02/05: Asia Michelle Turner, 4-years old (Spartanburg, Spartanburg Co.)
11/03/06: John Matthew Davis, 10-years old (Dillon, Dillon Co.)
11/04/06: Allen Young, 22-months old (Bamberg, Bamberg Co.)
04/27/07: Brian Palmer, 1-year old (Charleston, Dorchester Co.)
12/13/07: Holden Jernigan, 2-years old (Summerville, Dorchester Co.)
03/04/10: Ethel Horton, 65-years old (Lucknow, Lee Co.)
11/16/10: Justin Lane, 25-years old (Latta, Dillon Co.)
01/22/11: Kristen Dutton, 9-years old (Modoc, McCormick, Co.)
02/17/11: Sirlinda Hayes, 66-years old (Dillon Co.)
04/20/12: Aiden McGrew, 2-months old (Ridgeville, Dorchester Co.)
05/27/12: Ja'Marr Tiller, 2-years old (Charleston Co.)

05/28/12: Young Boy Killed by Dogs
Mt. Pleasant, SC - A two-year old boy died Sunday night after being attacked by dogs. The victim's aunt, Octavia Johnson, said that Ja'Marr Tiller had been put to bed for the night when he wandered outside and was attacked by at least one of two dogs described as female labrador-shepherd mix dogs. The boy's mother was not home at the time of the incident but came home and discovered her son's body. Other family members were in the home at the time of the attack.

Johnson also said that the boy was afraid of the dogs and never played with them. The two dogs belonged to another family that lives next door. Johnson said the dogs had been around for over four years and had never acted violently toward people before. The Charleston County Coroner's Office is performing an autopsy Monday morning and is expected to officially identify the boy this afternoon. The Charleston County Sheriff's Office will hold a press conference at 2 p.m.

Photo: abcnews4.com

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Colleen Lynn

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Person County Authorities Charge Pit Bull Owner

From left, victim Eugene Cameron, DNA linked pit bull and its owner, Antonio Ford.

Dog Owner Charged
UPDATE 08/16/12: Person County deputies arrested Antonio Ford Thursday and charged him with involuntary manslaughter after investigators said his pit bull was responsible for the death of a 65-year old man. In late May, Eugene Cameron was found dead of an apparent dog mauling near Ford's home. In addition to involuntary manslaughter, Ford is charged with obstruction of justice. Ford was given a $2 million bond and is scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday.

08/01/12: DNA Links Pit Bull to Death
Authorities have matched DNA found at the scene of Eugene Cameron's death with a suspected pit bull named DMX. Antonio Ford, who lives next door to the home where Cameron was found naked and dead, owns the pit bull. A California lab conducting specialized tests determined that DNA from the pit bull was found in blood at the scene. The lab is now checking to see if the dog's DNA is on Cameron's ripped up clothing that was found "balled up" beside him.

Not long after Cameron's death, Antonio Ford placed a sign in his front yard declaring his dog's innocence. Ford maintains that his pit bull was caged the night Cameron was killed.

06/06/12: Investigation Continues
The investigation into the death of Eugene Cameron continues. Analysts with the state crime lab and the FBI are testing blood and hair samples and a casting of the dog's teeth will be made to compare it with the wounds found on the victim, according to Sheriff Dewey Jones. If authorities determine the pit bull inflicted the fatal injuries, prosecutors are willing to pursue manslaughter and even second-degree murder charges against the dog's owner, Antonio Ford.1

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05/28/12: Suspected Pit Bull Seized
Roxboro, NC - In a developing story, Person County animal control officers seized an 8-year old male pit bull suspected in the death of a 65-year old man over the weekend. Deputies found the body of Eugene Cameron under a carport in west Roxboro late Saturday. Family members said he was checking in on the house while his friend was out of town. Witnesses said he was found naked with his clothes "balled up" beside him2 and bloody dog paw prints surrounding him.

According to a warrant, the victim had severe injuries to his right arm that may have caused him to bleed out, and the injuries were consistent with dog bites. Cameron's body was sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Chapel Hill for an autopsy. Samples from the pit bull, owned by next-door neighbor Antonio Ford, will be checked to determine if that animal is responsible. Ford denies his pit bull was involved, but does not deny that his dog "fights other dogs."

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

1Ironically in 2007, Antonio Ford posted a video to his now abandoned MySpace page titled, DMX tha killa.
2It has been documented in a number of fatal dog attacks the victim was stripped naked by the dog(s), as recently as today in the death of 2-year old Ja'Marre Tiller. The part about the clothes being "balled up," as opposed to being scattered, was not explained.

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