2007 Dog Bite Fatality: Attack Shows Underbelly of Pit Bull Ownership

Pit Bull Kills Caretaker
Mountain City, GA - Blanche Brodeur, 76-years old, was found face down with severe head and neck injuries on December 17. She was brutally attacked by her son-in-law's pit bull while trying to feed the animal. Brodeur had agreed to take care of five pit bulls belonging to her daughter Joan and husband Thomas Robinson while they were in jail. Both were arrested and jailed 5 days before the fatal attack after a drug raid to their homes on December 12.

When first responders arrived, they could not reach Brodeur's body. The pit bull that killed her was on a rope long enough to reach anyone who tried to help. It took 18 minutes and a phone call to the jailed dog's owner to get permission to shoot the animal so that responders could safely approach the body. Rabun County Sheriff's Investigator Marty Talley noted, however, "I could visually tell there was no sign of life from the damage that was visible."

Before the Fatal Attack

On November 1st, the home of Thomas Robinson on Gates Lane and the home of Joan Robinson on 36 Parker Robinson Lane were raided by drug enforcement officers. Authorities returned on December 12 and arrested both Thomas and Joan. One deputy picked up Thomas at his residence and allowed him to "move his dogs" to Joan's house. Simultaneously, other agents were searching Joan's home where they seized a half-pound of marijuana.

The victim, Blanche Brodeur, had moved into her daughter's home just a few months prior due to an electrical fire that destroyed her trailer on 41 Parker Robinson Lane on September 28. Both Thomas and Joan owned pit bulls, combined equaling five dogs, which all ended up under the care of Brodeur on December 12. Police shot and killed the attacking dog. It is unclear what happened to the other four pit bulls after Brodeur's death.

Enforcement officials should have rules regarding drug raids and pit bulls. Animal control should have seized these animals and taken over ownership at the time of the arrests. Instead, the animals got dumped on Blanche and within a matter of days she was violently killed by one.

2005 Dog Bite Fatality: Victim's Family Sues Animal Control in Spotsylvania

Officers Cleared in Suit
UPDATE 03/06/09: A jury decided against awarding any money to Dorothy Sullivan's beneficiaries in the wrongful death suit filed against county employees. The suit, filed in 2007 against four Spotsylvania County animal control officers, claimed gross negligence by the officers in the time leading up to Sullivan's killing by a pack of pit bulls in March of 2005.

Deanna Large, who owned the dogs, was convicted later that year of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison. Large became the first person in Virginia convicted in a case involving a pet killing a person. The criminal case set a legal precedent for the state. On the civil side, however, jurors deliberated for about three hours Thursday before returning a verdict in favor of the defense. In doing so, they denied awarding money to the family.

12/17/07: Dorothy Sullivan's Family Continues in Court
Spotsylvania, VA - The family of a woman fatally mauled by pit bulls in 2005 can continue a $5 million lawsuit against five Spotsylvania County Animal Control employees. Substitute Judge George Tidy ruled in Spotsylvania Circuit Court that the family of Dorothy Sullivan can sue the county "employees" but must drop the county and the Animal Control Department as defendants in its lawsuit. The judge did not explain his decision.

Three pit bulls killed Sullivan, 82, and her pet Shih Tzu, Buttons, in Partlow on March 8, 2005. Deanna Large, 39, who owned the dogs, is serving three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter. The Virginia Court of Appeals upheld the conviction Oct. 30. Sullivan's estate also believes that Animal Control employees are to blame. The estate charges that the employees created a nuisance by not capturing the dogs, and were negligent in their actions.

Jim H. Guynn, an attorney representing the county, successfully argued that the Animal Control Department is a "creature of an ordinance" that cannot be sued. He also was able to have the county removed from the lawsuit by arguing the shield of sovereign immunity, a doctrine that makes governments immune from lawsuits when performing government duties. He said that counties are considered "arms of the state" and have the same protection.

Thomas E. Albro, who represents Sullivan's family, argued that the defense of sovereign immunity cannot be used if there is negligence. He recounted numerous allegations that Animal Control employees knew the dogs ran loose and had attacked neighbors and killed pets, that the dogs were not licensed and that Large was operating an unlicensed kennel. Albro said Animal Control employees did very little to capture the dogs or punish Large.

Related articles:
11/08/08: Paula Ybarra, Dog Attack Victim, Wins Settlement from Minneapolis
08/23/08: Suing Animal Control Agencies or Municipalities After a Serious Dog Attack

2007 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bull Attacks and Kills Toddler in South Carolina

Pit Bull Kills Boy archived
Summerville, SC - In today's tragedy,  a 2-year old boy wandered out of the back door of his grandmother's home and was killed by his grandmother's pit bull. The approximately 40-pound dog latched onto Holden Jernigan's throat and head, inflicting fatal wounds, Dorchester County sheriff's 1st Sgt. Mike Miller said. Holden died in the backyard of Tracey Shelton's home in the 100 block of Barshay Drive where two signs in the front windows warned, "Beware of the dog."

Thursday morning a toddler was killed by a family pet at Flowertown Village in Summerville. 2-year-old Holden Jernigan wandered into the backyard of his grandmother's house and was brutally attacked by the family's pit bull. It happened on Barshay Drive at 10:00 a.m.

"The child was deceased upon our arrival. The child was in the care of his grandmother," said Sheriff Ray Nash, who was at the scene. "We've got an investigative team that's working the case and I'm sure as more and more of these details come to light, we'll know exactly what happened, what transpired and what the appropriate response of this agency will be." - ABC News 4

This is the second fatal pit bull attack in Dorchester County this year. Back in April, 1-year old Brian Palmer was killed by the family's pit bull. The dog, taken in as a stray by the family, had gotten out of the laundry room. Brian was found in an upstairs room fatally mauled. The dog had killed a relative's cat about a week earlier. There were no adults present at the time of the attack, only two other children. The boy's mother was charged with unlawful conduct toward a child.

Nobody at Shelton's Flowertown Village house would talk to the newspaper Thursday. Miller said Shelton was watching Holden for his parents, Scott and Amber Jernigan. One of Shelton's neighbors said the dog was usually chained in the fenced backyard but had often gotten loose. Wanda Mizell said she kept her 4-year-old grandson inside and that she tried not to go outside unless she had to when the dog was roaming the street.

The dog was on about 25 feet of chain when animal control officers arrived Thursday, McKee said, but it was unknown if he was chained at the time of the attack. He was not aggressive toward the officers, she said. - Nita Birmingham, Post and Courier, December 14, 2007

Holden's grandmother was later charged in connection to his death. It was reported on Dec. 17 that Shelton was charged with unlawful donduct towards a child. "Although this is tragic event for everyone involved and our heart goes out to the family, the death of this child could have, and should have been prevented," Sheriff Ray Nash said in a statement. Prosecutors say Shelton fell asleep while watching the boy. He wandered into the fenced yard and was killed by the pit bull.

2007 Dog Bite Fatality: Jennifer Lowe, Killed by Two Pit Bulls, No Charges Filed

Parents Want Charges
Knoxville, TN - On November 12, a neighbor called 911 after seeing a pit bull attack 21-year old Jennifer Lowe in a nearby home. Upon arriving at the scene, Knox County Sheriff's deputies shot both pit bulls, killing one and wounding the other. The second dog ran off into the woods and was missing until the next day. The parents of Lowe in disagreement with the preliminary decision by prosecutors not to seek criminal charges against the dogs' owner, Charles Smallwood.

A WBIR news article reports that neighbor Jeanne Kidd heard Jennifer's cries. "I just heard her screaming, 'Help me, somebody help me,' then she'd go quiet for a little while. Then I'd hear her screeching, 'Somebody please help.'" Kidd says she heard the attack from across the street, but didn't know if the shrieks were real or some kind of a joke. She knew it wasn't a joke when she saw Lowe lying in the doorway of the mobile home with a pair of bloody pit bulls hovering nearby.

The family said that Jennifer fought back both dogs as they tore away her face, neck, shoulder and arms. She died shortly after reaching the hospital. She did not lose consciousness until her death.

It took nearly a half an hour for Knox County Sheriff's deputies to reach the mobile home after the first 911 call. Jennifer's mother, Teresa Lowe, said, "My daughter just laid there. Now I'm wondering, did she bleed to death?" Police records reveal the response time to be true. Chief Deputy Tom Spangler said deputies initially thought they were responding to a possible domestic disturbance. One of the officers also had to stop and fill up his police cruiser with gasoline.

Teresa said that Jennifer, who hoped one day to become a probation officer, had been working to help support her younger sister, Candace, 17, who lived with their father and who is unable to work because of serious health problems. James Lowe said his 21-year old daughter had been studying criminal justice, but had recently stopped going to school. James said his daughter loved the arts and crafts, especially making hemp jewelry and spending time with young relatives.

Dogs Previously Declared Dangerous

Several months before the fatal mauling, Knox County Animal Control had declared both pit bulls "dangerous." The owner of the dogs, Charles Smallwood, had been ordered to build a pen for the dogs and was told they could only be outside if they were in the pen wearing muzzles. It is reported that animal control had visited Smallwood's home five times about the dogs prior to the dogs killing Jennifer Lowe. Officer David Head describes the time line in a follow up article:

  • The first visit, in August, followed a complaint by a neighbor saying her dog had been attacked by one of the pit bulls.
  • Subsequent to this, the dogs attacked two police cruisers, which is when officials deemed the dogs "dangerous."
  • On August 23, Smallwood's brother was cited over the dogs and sent to court.
  • On August 28, Smallwood signed papers stating he understood the county's requirements.
  • On September 14, animal control checked to make sure the county orders were followed.
  • Three days before the fatal attack, the dogs were found running loose in the yard with the owners. An animal control officer stopped and reminded them that the dogs needed to be muzzled and on a secure chain.

Due to dismal Tennessee dog law, Jennifer's family has no civil recourse, nor can authorities charge Smallwood with a crime. State law disallows civil liability for maulings of people who are guests in a dog owner's home but does allow recourse if the dog attacks a person walking down the street. Charles Smallwood was required to have the dogs muzzled if the dogs were outside the home. But Jennifer was inside the home at the time of the attack, so he faces no criminal penalty.

map iconView the DogsBite.org Google Map: Tennessee Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.