Posted on May 22, 2012 by Colleen Lynn

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Ohio Newborn Killed by Family Pit Bull-Mix

The pit bull seen in quarantine at the Allen County pound (video/Hometown Stations).

Blade Republishes
UPDATE 05/21/12: After pulling their first story, the Toledo Blade, we refer to as the Yellow or Biased Toldeo Blade, republished under a new title. This news entity has a long history of not just pushing the pro-pit bull cause, but was instrumental in bringing down former Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon and ensuring the passage of legislation that repealed Ohio's longstanding pit bull law. Makayla's death comes just days before May 22, when the repeal goes into effect.

If one does a search on Google News for "Makayla Darnell" guess what article is listed as "highly cited? (Screenshot). The trouble is, that article was removed and leads to an error.1 News began breaking over the weekend about May 22, the day the State of Ohio loses its 25-year old pit bull law, which ominously falls on day three of National Dog Bite Prevention Week this year. We expect much more news about this to follow and the death of Makayla Darnell to quickly be forgotten.

05/18/12: Autopsy: Death by Dog Bite
Lucas County Coroner Dr. Cynthia Beisser said Friday that the baby died from blunt force injury to the head. Dr. Beisser said it was consistent with a "dog biting down on the head." Apparently the baby's mother and grandmother were just a few feet away preparing food when the attack occurred. The fatally attacking dog remains in custody while the investigation continues. Dog Warden Julie Shellhammer confirmed that the dog was a male pit bull-mix about 4 years old.

The baby girl, Makayla Darnell, was just three days old. During interviews with the Allen County Sheriff's Department, family members said the dog was not aggressive before the attack. The pit bull mix is now in quarantine at the Allen County Dog Warden's Office.

Detectives are still investigating the incident, however, Sheriff Sam Crish says the baby was injured Thursday evening at a home on Thayer Road near Beaverdam. Makayla Darnell was in a baby swing while her mother -- Audrianna Myers and grandmother -- Janette Myers were in a room nearby. They heard a whimper and then saw blood on the swing. - Your Hometown Stations, May 25, 2012

05/18/12: Infant Killed by Family Dog
Monroe Township, OH - In a developing story, a 3-day old baby girl died late Thursday night after being attacked by the family pit bull-mix. Makayla Darnell was sitting in her swing in the living room and her parents were in the kitchen of their northern Allen County home at the time of the attack. The baby's parents, Audrianna Myers and Jared Darnell, drove the injured infant to Blanchard Valley Hospital where it was airlifted to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo.

The dog, a pit bull mix, was taken to Allen County Dog Warden's shelter, where it is being held in impound until the investigation is completed, Everett said. He did not know the fate of the dog.

“Right now it's being quarantined until we're done with the investigation,” Everett said. The dog is believed to be about 5 years old. Everett said there was no evidence it had ever bitten or attacked anyone before. - The Lima News

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

1The live Google News results link won't last long, which is why we also provided a screenshot. Commenters have begun leaving suggestions about why The Yellow Blade removed the piece. It is true that multiple versions of stories are often posted by news agencies and are later combined into an updated version. Very seldom do we run across the actual take down of a previous version. There were three version of the article. Version 1 contained the breed name in the title, content and URL: "infant-dies-after-attack-from-pit-bull.html"), Version 2 removed all breed names from the title, content and URL ("infant-dies-after-attack-from-family-dog.html"). Version 3 placed the breed back into the content and continued with the second URL ("infant-dies-after-attack-from-family-dog.html")

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Colleen Lynn

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Elderly Woman Dies After October Pit Bull Attack

Maryann Hanula, 73-years old, died seven months after a violent pit bull mauling.

Numerous Surgeries
Surprise, AZ - An elderly woman badly mauled by two pit bulls last year has died. Maryann Hanula, then 73-years old, was in her front yard on October 10, when the attack occurred. The two pit bulls, a male and female, escaped a gated yard on the same street. When neighbors tried to rescue Maryann, the dogs turned on them. Another neighbor -- an off-duty Phoenix police officer -- shot and killed both dogs. Most of the woman's right foot was gone before medics arrived.

After the October attack, friends say Maryann underwent 13 surgeries and suffered multiple infections, spending most of the last seven months in the hospital. The dogs' owner, Cynthia Montoya had only lived on the street for about three weeks prior to the attack. After the incident, Montoya said she was "surprised" by the dogs' behavior. Unsurprisingly, the Montoyas moved away about six weeks later and could not be reached for comment about Maryann's death.

The dogs' owner, Cynthia Montoya, has never faced criminal charges despite a new Arizona law intended to hold pet owners accountable when their animals attack.

Fabian's Law stipulates that a pet owner can be charged with a felony if their animal attacks a person.

Surprise police told CBS5 that they could never establish that Montoya knew the dogs were vicious, so the case did not move forward.

Sally and Richard Andrade are the Valley couple who helped get Fabian's Law passed at the state Capitol last year.

The law mandates tighter penalties for dog owners whose animals attack.

The Andrades lost their poodle, Fabian, after he was attacked by a viscous dog in their neighborhood.

They said that they can't believe the owner of the dogs who attacked Hanula were never charged, and now that she has died, they want Montoya to face a stiffer penalty. - KPHO, May 18, 2012

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Colleen Lynn

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: Pet Pit Bull Mauls to Death 74-Year Old Owner in Santa Fe

Clifford Wright seen with his son Gavin in a November 27, 2002 photo.

Dog Euthanized
UPDATE 05/08/12: In the continuing saga of Gavin Wright, who initially hoped to spare family the pit bull after it brutally killed his father, allowed authorities to euthanize the dog today. On Monday, KOB.com released parts of the 911 call that offers more insight into Gavin. "Don't make me (expletive) repeat myself again ... My dog got a hold of him somehow," he said. It is possible that yesterday's airing of the segment inspired Gavin to allow for the humane euthanasia of the dog.

05/04/12: Death by Dog Confirmed
On Thursday, the state Office of the Medical Investigator released an initial cause of death that found that 74-year old Clifford Wright died as a result of a dog attack, not of any other health issues. According to the Santa Fe Police Department, Wright also had a history of dog attack reports at his home. In 2005, police responded to Wright's home after reports he was bitten by a different family pit bull. In 2011, police responded to his home after reports of a loose pit bull.

Several hours after the initial KOB.com news article was posted, a video was added that included more information. The victim's son, former Santa Fe High football player Gavin Wright, who made the 911 call, lived with his father along with four dogs, three of which were pit bulls. Gavin reportedly does not believe that the family pit bull, named Achilles, struck down his father in a life ending mauling, despite the Santa Fe Police Department confirming that the animal did.1

05/02/12: Pit Bull Suspected in Death
Santa Fe, NM - In a developing story, Santa Fe police are investigating the death of a 74-year old man. Clifford Wright was discovered by his 27-year old son, Gavin Wright, dead in the front yard on Wednesday. Police responded to an emergency medical call from the son, who said "his father had been attacked by an animal at their house." According to a longtime neighbor, the unaltered male pit bull belonged to the son and was a recent addition to the family's household.

1The victim's family, his son(s), are not willingly surrendering the dog to be euthanized, forcing authorities to ask a judge for this permission.

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Colleen Lynn

2012 Dog Bite Fatality: 15-Month Old Girl Killed by Family Pit Bull in Las Cruces, New Mexico

Inconsistent Statements
UPDATE 09/12/12: KVIA.com reports that statements made by the grandmother, Leticia Mesa, about events leading up to the savage attack were inconsistent, as was her knowledge of the dog's previous aggressive acts. The autopsy report shows the child was alone with the dog when she was attacked. "There's a difference between a crime and an accident," District Attorney Amy Orlando told KVIA.com. The Mesa family is responsible for the death of Jazilyn, Orlando said.

"Investigators interviewed Leticia Mesa at least twice and, according to them, her statements regarding the events that led to the fatal attack were inconsistent. Detectives also found inconsistencies in Leticia Mesa's statements on whether she knew that the dog showed signs of aggression prior to the fatal attack.

According to court documents, Leticia Mesa told police she and Jazilyn were in the backyard with the dog. She originally told police the baby was walking around and may have walked up to the dog's drinking water when it attacked her, documents show.

Three days later, documents show Leticia Mesa changed her story. According to documents, Leticia Mesa said she was actually carrying the baby in the backyard when the dog tried to pull her out of her arms. Police said Leticia Mesa told them she never let go of the baby.

The autopsy of the baby shows the baby was alone with the dog when she was attacked, despite what Leticia Mesa told police. The coroner's office said the baby had drag marks and 12 to 15 bites." - KVIA.com

09/11/12: Family Members Charged
Four months after our last update about the pit bull mauling death of Jazilyn Mesa, authorities have arrested and charged three residents of the home where the deadly attack took place. Leticia Mesa, 52, the child's paternal grandmother, is charged with negligent child abuse resulting in death. Arthur Mesa Sr., 57, and Jesus Mesa, 21, the child's grandfather and father respectively are each charged with one count of possession of a dangerous dog resulting in death.

Through interviews with individuals, Las Cruces Police detectives learned that the Mesa's pit bull, named Tyson, had demonstrated aggression toward people and dogs in the past. Jazilyn's mother and paternal grandmother had also expressed concern about the pit bull and had asked the Mesa family to get rid of the dog, according to police. When the Mesa family refused, Jazilyn's mother mandated that her child not be allowed anywhere near the dog when visiting the home.

Leticia Mesa was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center with a $15,000 bond.

05/11/12: Family Speaks Out
New information from KVIA.com reveals that Jazilyn Mesa was killed by her father's pet pit bull. Arthur Mesa, the baby's grandfather, said that Jazilyn was never allowed to be alone with the dog. Jazilyn had wanted to play outside and the grandmother was in the process of putting the dog in the kennel when it attacked. The grandmother tried to stop the attack, but the pit bull would not let the baby loose and drug her underneath the ground-level trampoline and continued attacking her.

"Art Mesa said Tyson was 2-years-old and had never bitten anyone before. He said baby Jazilyn was never allowed to be alone with Tyson. Mesa said he could never have imagined something like this could happen.

"The baby wanted to go outside, and play," Mesa said, sitting in the backyard where the baby was mauled. "So the procedure was, put the dog away because he's big, and played rough. So that's what they were doing -- taking the dog and putting it in the kennel. And it attacked."

Mesa said his wife jumped on Jazilyn to cover her but the dog would not let the baby loose. He said the dog then took the baby underneath a trampoline in the backyard. Mesa said his wife, Letitia Mesa, grabbed rocks and was hitting the dog with them." - KVIA.com

The pit bull turned its attention upon neighbor Barry Sander after he arrived with a handgun, according to Mesa. Snyder fired multiple shots at the dog, hitting it six times. One shot also hit the grandmother, Letitia Mesa, by accident. Both the baby and the grandmother were rushed to area hospitals. Jazilyn did not survive her injuries. Letitia has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home. There is no confirmation at this time of negligent charges being filed.

Fatal Dog Attacks in New Mexico

Since 2005, DogsBite.org has recorded 5 fatal dog attacks in the State of New Mexico. 80% of these deaths are attributed to pit bulls. 80% of all victims have also been adults. Only one case resulted in criminal charges, the owners of the pit bulls that struck down Margaret Salcedo on Easter Sunday. The 2006 death of Juan Garcia was only located as recently as 2011. It is possible that there are additional unidentified fatal dog maulings between the years of 2007 to 2010.

2006: Juan Garcia, 53-years old (Gallina, Rio Arriba Co.)
2010: Larry Armstrong, 55-years old (McKinley Co.)
2011: Margaret Salcedo, 48-years old (Truth or Consequences, Sierra Co.)
2012: Clifford Wright, 74-years old (Santa Fe, Santa Fe Co.)
2012: Jazilyn Mesa, 15-months old (Las Cruces, Dona Ana Co.)

05/09/12: Child Victim Identified
Police continue to investigate the most recent New Mexico fatal pit bull mauling. The deceased child has been identified as Jazilyn Mesa and was determined to be 15-months old. The incident also resulted in the accidental shooting of the child's paternal grandmother, Leticia Mesa, 52, who was shot by a well-intentioned neighbor who intervened with a firearm to stop the family pit bull from killing the child. Las Cruces Police said the woman's injuries are not life threatening.

Authorities say it is unlikely that the shooter, Barry Snyder, 69, will face any charges.

05/08/12: Child Killed by Pit Bull
Las Cruces, NM - In a developing story, there has been another fatal pit bull mauling in the State of New Mexico in less than one week. At the time of the incident, the child was in the backyard of her grandparent's home. The girl's 52-year old grandmother was accidentally shot in the leg after one neighbor intervened with a firearm to stop the pit bull attacking the girl. Both victims were transported to El Paso hospital. The child did not survive the injuries inflicted by the family pit bull.

A different neighbor, Chris Wollard, who heard the gunshots from about 100 yards away, also ran to the home to help. He looked into the backyard where he found the grandmother and child hiding underneath a trampoline. Wollard, a respiratory therapist, took the child and began giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until paramedics arrived. Wollard told the Las Cruces Sun-News that the child was in "pretty bad shape." Police officials are continuing to investigate the child's death.

A male pit bull seen in the grandparent's home prior to killing Jazilyn on May 8, 2012.

Photo: Greatamericanphotocontest.com

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