Posted on July 19, 2022 by Colleen Lynn

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Mauled to Death by Pack of Pit Bull-Mixes in Fresno Area of Fort Bend County, Texas

Dog Owner Arrested and Charged with Second-Degree Felony

Freddy Garcia, 71-years old, was killed by a pack of pit bull-mixes in Fort Bend County.

Dog Owner Arrested
UPDATE 07/22/22: On Friday, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office arrested and charged Samuel Joseph Cartwright, 47, in connection to the death of Freddy Garcia, 71. On July 18, Garcia was walking along Mark Terrace Lane when seven pit bull-mix dogs belonging to Cartwright fatally attacked him. Authorities captured four of the dogs initially. They later captured the other three on Cartwright's property. Cartwright initially claimed the dogs were "strays," denying ownership.

Rilwan Balogun, a KPRC reporter, was at the scene when deputies and animal control officers confiscated the last three vicious dogs. "The dogs were found in Joey Cartwright's backyard," Balogun says. He then sees Cartwright and rushes over to him, "Are these your dogs?" Balogun asked. "No, they're not my dogs," Cartwright said. "Why were they in your backyard?" Balogun asked. "Because they are stray dogs. There are a bunch of them around here," Cartwright said.

The Sheriff’s Office, along with Fort Bend Animal Control and the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, conducted an investigation this week into the death of Freddy Garcia, who was fatally attacked by seven dogs owned by Cartwright. The attack occurred on July 18, 2022, in the 4300 block of Mark Terrace Lane in Fresno as Garcia was walking to a neighborhood store. The investigation led to the identity of Cartwright, the owner of the dogs who mauled Garcia. All seven dogs -- who are a pit bull mix -- were captured by Sheriff’s deputies and Animal Control. - Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, July 22, 2022

Cartwright is currently in custody at the Fort Bend County Jail and has been charged with Attack by Dog Resulting in Death, a second-degree felony. His bond is set for $100,000. "This devastating tragedy didn’t have to happen," Sheriff Fagan said in the media release. Fagan also thanked his deputies, Fort Bend Animal Services Director Rene Vasquez, and Fort Bend District Attorney Brian Middleton for the collaborative work of capturing the dogs and making an arrest.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office and the district attorney's office hold press conference.

07/19/22: Dog Pack Kills Man in Texas
Fresno, TX - A 71-year old man is dead after being attacked by a pack of pit bulls in the Fresno area of Fort Bend County. During a press conference Tuesday, Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan said the attack occurred on July 18 at about 1:30 pm in the 4300 block of Mark Terrace Lane. The man was walking to a store when the dogs viciously attacked. The victim was airlifted to a hospital, where he later died. Four of the dogs have been capture, three remain at large.

The family identified the victim as Freddy Garcia. An update on the sheriff's media release states the "remaining dogs have been captured."

Sheriff Fagan asked residents in the unincorporated area to remain on high alert until the rest of the dogs have been captured by authorities. Fagan also stated during the press conference that another dog attack was reported in the Fresno area on July 15 that may be linked to the same dogs. Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton said his office is prepared to bring charges under the Texas felony dog attack statute if investigators can link the dogs to an owner.

"On the 18th of this month, a gentleman was walking to the store when he was attacked by several vicious dogs," Fagan said today. "He was life flighted to Memorial Hermann hospital where he was pronounced dead. I'm here today to warn the citizens in the Fresno area." KTRK reports that deputies have security camera video of part of the attack. Investigators will pull still images of the dogs from the video to show local residents what the pit bulls that remain at large look like.

The identity of the victim was not released by the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office. Authorities are currently searching the wooded area for the three dogs at large, reports the Houston Chronicle. Authorities are urging residents to stay vigilant and to report stray dogs wandering or to report any other dog attack they may know about. "It's important that we capture these dogs so they don't harm anyone else," district attorney Brian Middleton said during today's news conference.

UPDATE: Remaining dogs have been captured.

Sheriff's Office Warns Fresno Area Citizens to Be Vigilant After Man Fatally Attacked by Dogs

The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office wants the public to stay on high alert after a man was mauled by several dogs.

On July 18, 2022, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office received a call about a man who was attacked by dogs in the 4300 block of Mark Terrace Lane in the Fresno, Texas area. The 71-year-old victim, who lives in the area, was walking to the store when he was attacked by approximately seven dogs. The victim was transported via Life Flight to Memorial Hermann downtown and was later pronounced deceased.

Four dogs have been captured, but three dogs have yet to be located and are still on the loose. Sheriff’s deputies are on the lookout for the other three dogs. The case is under investigation.

Sheriff Eric Fagan urges citizens in the area to be cautious in the meantime.

“We want everyone to remain vigilant when outdoors,” Sheriff Fagan said. “Be sure to keep a close eye on your children and your pets.”

The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Bend County Pets - Fort Bend County Animal Services, and the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office are co-leading the investigation. - Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, July 19, 2022

fort bend county man killed by pit bulls

Area on Mark Terrace Lane, where Freddy Garcia, 71, was killed by up to seven pit bulls.

Samuel Joseph Cartwright seen with several of his pit bull-mixes on his Facebook page.

KPRC captured images of two of the three dogs captured on July 19. Presumably, this was a pack of pit bull-mixes with mixed-breed offspring. We have not seen any images of the four dogs that were initially captured and designated as pit bulls during the sheriff's press conference.

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

Baseline reporting requirements:
Law enforcement departments across the United States should release consistent "baseline" information to the media and the public after each fatal dog mauling, including these items.

Posted on July 12, 2022 by Colleen Lynn

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Family Dog Kills 1-Year Old Boy in Gentilly Woods Area in New Orleans

Apollo Duplantis, 1-year old, was killed by a family dog in the Gentilly Woods area.

Young Boy Killed
New Orleans, LA - A 13-month old boy is dead after being attacked by a family dog in the Gentilly Woods area Monday, New Orleans police said. The attack was reported at 6:46 pm at a residence in the 5500 block of Seminary Place. The victim was transported to a hospital for treatment by private vehicle, where he later died. On Tuesday, the child was identified as Apollo Duplantis by the parish corner. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of death.

After the attack, a Louisiana SPCA officer entered the backyard of the home to capture the dog. The dog then attacked the SPCA officer. "At that time, officers on the scene heard the LASPCA officer screaming for help," states a release by New Orleans Police. "NOPD officers on the scene entered the yard and saw the dog attacking the LASPCA officer. The officer discharged a service weapon, striking the dog and killing it." The condition of the LASPCA officer is currently unknown.

Though police have not released breed information, photographs on the mother's Facebook page show a family pit bull-American bully, named "Bear." If Bear proves to be the culprit, he will be the third American bully-type dog, described as a "a natural extension of the American Pit Bull Terrier" by the UKC, involved a fatal dog mauling this year. No other major kennel club recognizes the breed, which curiously comes in four size standards: pocket, standard, classic and XL bully.

Pit bull-American bully kills boy Gentilly Woods

An American bully/bull breed-mix is seen on the mother of the child's Facebook page.

Given "Mixed-Breed" Designation

On Tuesday, the Louisiana SPCA issued a statement regarding the fatal dog mauling, including identifying the dog as a "mixed-breed" family dog. There is no doubt the dog is a mixed-breed, as an American bully can be comprised of at least five bully breeds, including: pit bull terrier, American bulldog, English bulldog, Old English bulldogge, Staffordshire bull terrier, French bulldog and multiple mastiff variations, such as the Neapolitan or bullmastiff, to achieve the XL size.

That said, at the very least, "Bear" is a bull breed-mix, not to be confused with 300 plus breeds that could produce a mixed-breed dog without human killing aggression, such as a border-sheltie mix (herding breeds) or a poodle-terrier mix (small toy breeds). Gladys was also unethically characterized as a "mixed-breed" after killing a volunteer at a dog rescue facility, though Gladys had ample, pit bull, mastiff and XL bully characteristics and weighed a massive 125-pounds.

At approximately 6:54 p.m. on July 11th, the Louisiana SPCA’s New Orleans Humane Law & Rescue (NOHLR) team responded to an animal attack in the 5500 block of Seminary Place. The call placed to 911 described a 13-month-old child attacked by a mixed-breed family dog and severely injured. Our officer arrived on scene where the New Orleans Police Department was present and awaited a warrant to enter the property to seize the dog while the child was transported to receive immediate medical care.

A second NOHLR officer arrived on scene before the warrant was acquired to assist. Once the warrant was obtained, the two NOHLR officers attempted to leash the dog through the backyard fence, but when the effort was unsuccessful they entered the backyard. With control poles the NOHLR officers attempted to leash the dog again. Before a leash could be secured on the dog, a NOHLR officer was attacked and called for help from the NOPD officers on the scene.

NOPD entered the yard and saw the dog attacking a NOHLR officer. At that time, a NOPD officer discharged a service weapon striking the dog and killing it. - Louisiana SPCA, July 12, 2022

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

Posted on July 11, 2022 by Colleen Lynn

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bulls Suspected in Multi-Victim Attack that Killed One Man and Injured Another in St. Louis

Pit bulls are suspected in an attack that killed Dennis Moore and injured another man.

Cause of Death Determined
UPDATE 09/11/22: In September, the medical examiner determined that Dennis Moore died from a cardiac event prompted by the dog attack. Moore was found dead in an alley on July 10 with severe trauma to his body. St. Louis Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Graham said that Moore, "died from heart disease that was exacerbated by this attack -- not either one of those things by themselves." Graham added, "We think most of the extreme damage occurred after he died."

Prior to the dogs being captured, they attacked a 92-year old man in the alley, and the next day, they attacked 23-year old Kevin Davis. Both men were treated at a hospital. The three pit bulls seized after the attacks remain impounded. The city's health department released a statement saying, in part, "the department remains concerned for the public’s safety regarding three dogs connected with this incident." The department has recommended euthanasia for the animals.

07/12/22: Mauling Victim Identified
Family members identified the victim as 62-year old Dennis Moore. Police told his wife, Melvina Moore, that she should not see his body. "We don’t want you to remember these wounds. We don't even want to tell you how many times he was bitten," she told KSDK. Moore was discovered dead in an alley Sunday morning, suffering from "significant bodily wounds." A 92-year old man was also discovered in an alley with dog bite injuries. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

"The dogs ate him up to the point where his body was decayed, they can't show me his body. They didn't eat his head up." - Melvina Moore

The couple married after meeting in the Penrose neighborhood in 2016. "We had a wonderful wedding, and I asked him 'I never had a wedding before," Melvina said. "I mean, to take in a woman with seven kids, just think about it." Moore was a retired landscaper, who often helped the elderly cut their grass in the neighborhood, reports KSDK. Melvina said she knew something was wrong when Moore did not call her Saturday night as she worked a nightshift at a nursing home.

When she called him Sunday morning, police answered the phone. They would not tell her the circumstances over the phone. "The dogs ate my husband up like wolves," she said shakily. "I don't know how to move on." She is now trying to raise money for his funeral costs. Animal Control seized three pit bulls suspected of being involved in the attacks, police said. The dogs, described by police as pit bulls, matched descriptions of "several dog bites in the area," reports KTVI.

07/11/22: Multi-Victim Dog Attack
St. Louis, MO - KTVI reports that three pit bulls are suspected in the death of one man and the injury of another. The multi-victim attack occurred sometime between 11:30 pm Saturday and 6:30 am Sunday in the 4800 block of San Francisco Avenue, located in the Penrose neighborhood on the north side of St. Louis. Arriving police officers discovered a 62-year old man suffering from "significant bodily wounds" and a 92-year old man in a nearby alley with dog bite injuries.

The 62-year old man was "possibly attacked by pit bulls," an investigation revealed, who apparently died at the scene. The 92-year old man was transported to a hospital. Animal control officers confiscated three pit bulls in the area. The medical examiner's office and the city's Animal Control Division are handling the investigation, KTVI reports. The current condition of the 92-year old man is unknown. Thus far, we have located only a few news reports about this attack.

A report from KMOV states the 62-year old man was dead when police arrived. Officers found him in the backyard of a home. While officers searched the scene, they discovered the 92-year old man, who was suffering from a large number of dog bites. The older man got the bites from several dogs attacking him in the alley. KMOV did not report any breed information, but stated, "Animal Control later found three dogs matching the description of several attacks in the area."

Posted on July 10, 2022 by Colleen Lynn

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: 4-Year Old Girl Killed by Dog in Southeast Oak Cliff, a Dallas Neighborhood

Lea Freeman, 4-years old, died Saturday after being attacked by a pit bull in southeast Oak Cliff.

Child Identified
UPDATE 07/12/22: Family members have identified the 4-year old girl who was killed by one or more pit bulls in southeast Oak Cliff. WFAA spoke to Lea Freeman's mother, Tiara Freeman. She said she left her three daughters with her friend and her dad at the home on Bluffman Drive, where all of them were living. Lea's 2-year old sibling was in the room with her sister when the pit bull attacked. "She's traumatized. She's very scared, she saw her sister be killed," Tiara said.

Family members said the mother has mental health issues. Tiffany Freeman, Lea's aunt, said they have been trying to get the children to live with their grandparents. The home on Bluffman Drive is "run down and ill-fitting for children," Tiffany said. Lea's grandparents have been calling CPS and warning them since March about the conditions the children have been living in. Neighbors said the pit bulls at the home would escape by jumping through a broken window to run at large.

NBC DFW also spoke to Tiara. She and her children had moved into the home on Bluffman Drive with a woman she knows. Prior to the attack, Tiara asked her friend to watch her children while she went to the store. When she returned, she found Lea badly injured. "I'm crying, picking up my baby and I'm getting bitten up by her dogs," Tiara said. She believes a pit bull, named "Rambo," was the attacker, "but I got a feeling Rawlow and Reina had something to do with it too."

The Dallas Morning News reports that Tiara, who is 23-years old, was trying to get her life back on track after experiencing homelessness. That is when Tiara and her three children began living at the home on Bluffman Drive. Last month, she found a job about 10 minutes away. Prior to the attack, Tiara left the home "to go buy beer," leaving both of her daughters with a woman, who also lived at the home. Her youngest daughter was staying with her father that day, Tiara explained.

Tiara identified the woman she was living with as "Simone." Tiara said she never got a call from her while she was at the store. "I don't get a call when I'm at the store, I don't get a call from her letting me know that my kid is dead," Tiara said. She picked up Lea and rushed outside. She asked Michael Pennington, who lives across the street, to call 911. "Simone" was allegedly outside when the fatal dog attack occurred and had left Tiara's two children alone with the animals.

It remains unknown how many calls Dallas Animal Services (DAS) received about the dogs at the home on Bluffman Drive. DAS declined to answer questions related to this on Monday. Tiara also expressed to the Morning News that she believes all three pit bulls in the home were involved in the attack. No arrests have been made in connection to Lea's death, police said. The medical examiner's office confirmed the child's identity, but a cause of death has not been determined.

A fund has been created for Lea Freeman, 4-years old, who was killed by one or more pit bulls.

07/11/22: Neighbor Called 911
In a heartbreaking update, we learn more about the home on Bluffman Drive in southeast Oak Cliff, where a 4-year old girl was mauled to death one or more dogs Saturday morning. Multiple media outlets interviewed a family that lives across the street. Neighbor Michael Pennington placed the 911 call. He saw the horrific injuries to the child's head. "I said that baby is dead," an emotional Pennington told the Dallas Morning News on Sunday. "I said that baby's dead, man."

Officers were dispatched to the 5600 block of Bluffman Drive just before 8:00 am Saturday about an animal attack. Police said the child suffered multiple bite injuries. Police did not release the breed of dog involved. But a review of the Dallas City Police audio dispatch files indicates the child was bitten by a black pit bull inside the home and that a gray pit bull also resided at the home. Pennington believes three dogs, all pit bulls, living the home were involved in the violent attack.

Dallas Animal Services spokeswoman Marlo Clingman confirmed Monday that three dogs were picked up by the city. Dallas police spokesman Michael Dennis also confirmed that multiple dogs were seized from the home. According to Pennington, a woman who lives at the home is the owner of the dogs. No adults were inside the home when the attack occurred, Pennington said. Dallas police and Texas Child Protective Services are investigating the child's mauling death.

In the month's leading up to the child's death, Pennington said the three dogs had escaped the home multiple times by jumping through a broken window. Pennington's sister, Lorie Pennington, said one of the dogs attacked her 15-year old niece about a month ago. The dog clamped onto her arm, but the jacket she was wearing protected her skin from the dog's teeth. Lorie broke down crying in the video, recalling, "I didn't feel right with those dogs in the house with those babies."

"If you turn around and look, every last one of those windows was busted out because of those dogs …Those dogs should not have been at that house. Many times they got called on. They should have been gone … If CPS had done what they were supposed to do it could have been avoided." - Lorie Pennington

Lorie said she called 311 multiple times to report the dogs being loose, but was told by Dallas Animal Services (DAS) they would not send an officer out because the dogs were not on her property. Lorie also said that Child Protective Services had been called to the home in the past. Tiffani Butler, a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services spokeswoman confirmed the family of the child had been in "involved" with CPS in the past, but did not provide any details.

NBC DFW also spoke to the Penningtons. Michael said a neighbor came out of the house holding a baby, asking him to call for an ambulance. There were at least three children in the home. The 4-year old girl and two younger children. Lorie also described the three dogs as pit bulls, as she remembered her 311 call about the dogs earlier this spring, "I told them we have some pit bulls that my neighbor has and they keep getting out and they can't keep them in," Lorie said.

Lorie echoed her concerns about the children living at the home with the dogs and that Child Protective Services should have intervened sooner. "They (CPS) should have either said ‘You have to get rid of the dogs or the kids got to go,'" Lorie said. "We tried to save those kids but we couldn't," she said. Multiple agencies, including police and DFPS, are investigating the child's death. As of Sunday, the two surviving children were in the care of separate parents.

07/10/22: Child Killed by Family Dog
Dallas, TX - A 4-year old girl is dead after being attacked by a dog Saturday morning in southeast Oak Cliff, a neighborhood in Dallas. Police and emergency responders were dispatched just before 8:00 am to a home in the 5600 block of Bluffman Drive about an animal attack. Police said the dog bit the girl multiple times, reports the Dallas Morning News. She was transported to a children's hospital, according to the audio log files of Dallas City Police on Broadcastify.com.

A review of the audio dispatch files indicates the child was bitten by a black pit bull that belonged to the 911 caller who was in the home. "The pit bull is inside the house .. [I'm guessing] at the location," states the dispatcher. When asked by the responder, "Is the dog away from the 4-year old right now?" The dispatcher replied, "The dog belongs to the caller. The dog is currently put up. It is a black pit bull. The child is bleeding. And the dog is still at the location, but he's put up."

Police did not release the breed of dog to the Morning News, or whom the dog belonged to. The dog is currently in the custody of Dallas Animal Services (DAS). No other information was made available Saturday. This is the first known fatal dog attack in Dallas since the 2016 death of Antoinette Brown. Her death caused the city to revamp DAS protocols -- police even took over the embattled agency temporarily, in order to combat the loose and stray dog problem in south Dallas.