Posted on October 9, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: 84-Year Old Woman Dismembered, Killed by Son's Dogs in Indiana; Son Fights to Have Dogs Returned to Him

County Forced to Return Five Fatally Attacking Dogs to Owners

After five dogs killed his mother in September, the son wants dogs returned to him.

Killer Dogs Returned
UPDATE 10/15/21: All five dogs implicated in the death and partial dismemberment of 84-year old Loretta Moore have been released to their owners. Boone County authorities had wanted to euthanize the dogs, as all five reportedly had blood stains around their mouths. The owner of the dogs, James Moore, is the victim's son, who also lives at the home and found his mother's body when he returned home from work that day. Moore fought to get his five fatally attacking dogs returned to him.

State, county and local laws have no provision for euthanizing dogs that kill a person at home. Boone County officials were forced to return all five dogs to their owners. A pit bull that James had been fostering for about a month, "Chance," was returned to Lucci’s House Bully Rescue of Indianapolis. That dog can never return to Boone County. The four other medium to large-sized dogs, including two huskies, belonging to James, were returned to him under an agreement with the county.

First and foremost, James can never sue the county for any potential aggressive conduct by the dogs and the county has each dog's chip information, according to Robert Clutter, an attorney for the Boone County Commissioners. "They must be contained to his property at all times," Clutter said. James has a six-foot fence around the backyard and the dogs may be in the residence or in the fenced yard with the gate secured. The dogs are not allowed to leave the Moore property without a leash.

Boone County Commissioners plan to make a provision for euthanizing dogs that kill a person at residence and hope Lebanon leaders will too, Clutter said. A similar action was taken by a North Carolina county earlier this year after two pit bulls killed a 7-year old girl inside their owner's backyard. Also, Boone County Animal Control Officer Hannah Fisher will ask the Indiana state legislature for a provision in state law that allows for euthanizing dogs that kill a person at private residence.

10/09/21: Woman Dies, Dogs Live
Lebanon, IN - 84-year old Loretta Mae Moore was found dead on September 14 at a home on Elizabeth Drive. Boone County Coroner Justin Sparks said an autopsy determined her cause of death to be mutilation by dogs. The five dogs -- a pit bull, two huskies and two others -- belonged to the victim's son, who also lives at the home. The dogs will likely escape euthanasia because local, county, and state laws do not adequately address vicious dog attacks on their owners' property.

James Moore's four dogs and a fifth dog he was fostering, a pit bull, were in the home they shared in the 1400 block of Elizabeth Drive when he left for work on September 14. James found his mother's body when he returned that day, according to police. Part of her arm was missing and has never been found, reports the Herald Bulletin. All five dogs had apparent blood stains around their mouths, according to the Boone County’s petition to destroy the dogs involved filed on September 24.

Robert Clutter, an attorney for the Boone County Commissioners, explained that Lebanon, Boone County, and the state of Indiana lack laws to give the authority to euthanize dogs that attack on their owner’s property. “I guess none of us contemplated this type of situation,” Clutter said. “We are trying to find a way to dispose of the dogs." There are many remedies for off-property dog attacks, Clutter said. But there are "very limited remedies -- almost none" for on-property dog attacks.

“None of us contemplated this type of situation," echos the response by city and county officials after two pit bulls killed a child in Garner, North Carolina earlier this year. In another on-property attack, Jayden and her mother went next door to care for their neighbor's pit bulls while the owners were out of town. The dogs killed Jayden and severely injured her mother. The owners demanded their dogs be returned to them due to the city's ordinance failing to contemplate this type of situation.

To be clear, the failure of these local and state laws is the failure to account for the owners of dogs that kill a person who demand their dogs be returned to them afterward. James wants his five dogs back after they mutilated and ate part of his mother. The North Carolina owners wanted their two pit bulls back after killing a 7-year old child and critically injuring her mother. Prior to modern times, owners such as these, would have surrendered their dogs to authorities for humane euthanasia.

Petition to Destroy Dogs

Had the Boone County Sheriff's Office and Board of Commissioners not petitioned James Ray Moore and Lucci's House Bully Rescue (the owner of the pit bull being fostered), this dog bite fatality may not have been reported by the media at all. An elderly woman killed by a family pit bull falls into the most likely unreported fatal dog attacks, which is an adult ≥ 40 years old killed by a single or pair of family pit bulls in a city area, of which 89% of cases occurred on the dog owner's property.

The pit bull that James had been fostering came from Lucci's House Bully Rescue of Indianapolis. The county reached an agreement with the rescue and released "Chance" to its custody on Monday (Case no. 06C01-2109-MI-001296). “We agreed to permanent placement outside of Boone County and with a trainer who is very used to working with dogs who have behavioral issues,” Clutter remarked. “As part of the agreement, the dog is not allowed back in Boone County," he said.

The county has been unable to arrive at "satisfactory negotiations" with James' attorney regarding the remaining four dogs. “We’re trying to look toward a possible release of the dogs that would still protect the public as much as we can,” Clutter explained. “We’re looking at a number of options. Mr. Moore’s attorney has been receptive to some different suggestions. It’s just all-around a terrible, traumatic situation," Clutter said. We shall add, made more miserable and traumatic by James.

View the DogsBite.org Google State Map: Indiana 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 October 4, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bulls Kill Another Baby in Akron, Ohio; Incident 'Started Out As a Domestic'

After a domestic altercation "agitated" two pit bulls in Akron, one pit bull killed a baby.

Clarifications
UPDATE 10/08/21: Some important clarifications have been made in this "messed up" dog bite fatality. On October 3, one or both family pit bulls residing at 371 Westmoreland killed a child that was under the care of her 20-year old uncle. Just before the attack, her uncle had gotten into a fight with a female, also aged 20, on the enclosed front porch of the home. Police believe the domestic altercation between the adults "agitated" the pit bulls causing one to attack the child.

Subsequent news reports stated that one of the pit bulls had been declared "vicious" due to attacking a letter carrier in June. Actually, both pit bulls already had this designation, due to Akron having an ordinance that requires the owners of pit bulls and other fighting breeds to adhere to the same restrictions as dogs declared vicious. The letter carrier, who was bitten on the thigh and hand, even asked that citations not be issued afterward, according to a city animal bite report.

The Akron ordinance, however, suffers from enforcement issues and lack of personnel, according to a report from the Akron Beacon Journal. Notably, the Journal also learned that a third-degree felony charge of endangering a child was dismissed against an Akron family member by a Summit County grand jury after a family pit bull attacked and killed a 7-month old baby, who was being held by his 77-year old grandmother. That fatal dog attack occurred in August of 2020.

Bites Properly Investigated?

WOIO News has also been examining this case. Not only was a letter carrier bitten by one of these pit bulls, other people were bitten too. Mail to the home was suspended after the attack on the letter carrier. A person who lives at the home was bitten by one of the dogs in March. The owner of the dogs -- which police are now saying is unclear -- was uncooperative during that investigation. The uncle has been uncooperative during the fatal biting incident as well.

The female involved in the altercation is the ex-girlfriend of the uncle. That is why the uncle was uncooperative -- he did not want her to get into trouble. The police report lists her as a suspect in his assault, but at this point she has not been charged. Previously, WOIO interviewed the parents of Ka'Vay Louis, who do not blame the uncle for the attack, but do blame his ex-girlfriend. Despite the previous bites, Ka'Vay's parents never worried about her safety with the two pit bulls.

Attorneys Andrea Burton, Billi Copeland King and Walter Madison represent the family. They sent WOIO a statement that reads in part, “It is the family’s sincere wishes for all culpable parties involved to be charged to the fullest extent of the law. Otherwise, steps will be undertaken to convene a grand jury for consideration of charges outside of the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office.” The family will also be starting a foundation to help victims of vicious dog attacks.

10/04/21: Classified as "Vicious"
A 16-month old girl killed by one or both family pit bulls has been identified as Ka'Vay Louis-Calderon. The 20-year old uncle was babysitting the girl when he got into an argument with a woman on the enclosed front porch of the home. “The little girl was left inside the house with the two family pets and as this disturbance, fight, was occurring outside, it’s believed that the dogs reacted and turned their aggression to this beautiful 16-month old little girl,” Chief Mylett said.

One of the pit bulls had already been classified as "vicious" for attacking a postal carrier. This scenario should led to "instant" criminal charges -- when an adult leaves a child alone with a dog legally declared vicious due to a previous attack -- but this is not on Mylett's radar. "I’m reluctant to lay blame or responsibility on anybody right now. At this point, the family is mourning the loss of a 16-month-old baby. But rest assured, we’re going to get to the bottom of what happened."

The Akron Beacon Journal reports the baby did not live at the home. It is unknown how familiar the child was with the two pit bulls. The 20-year old woman, who was arguing with the uncle on the front porch, also did not live at the home. Lt. Michael Miller told the Journal the whole thing is a "messed up" tragedy. Many fatal dog maulings indeed are. But this attack involves a dog classified as "vicious" being left alone with a young child while her adult caretaker engaged in a "domestic."

10/04/21: Pit Bull Kills Baby Girl
Akron, OH - Another baby in Akron is dead after being attacked by a pit bull. Akron police were dispatched to a home in the 300 block of Westmoreland Street at 10:30 am Sunday in response to a pit bull attack. Arriving officers found a 16-month old girl suffering from critical injuries. She was transported to Akron Children’s Hospital, where she later died. Police believe a domestic altercation between two adults at the home "agitated" the pit bulls causing one to attack the child.

The fight between the two adults at the home -- a man and a woman -- did not involve the child's parents, according to authorities. Police did not identify the baby, her parents or the two fighting adults. Police did not explain why an argument between two adults would cause two pit bulls -- dogs selectively bred for the purposes of dogfighting -- to suddenly Blitzkrieg on a nearby helpless baby. The Summit County Medical Examiner will perform on autopsy on the baby girl.

Audio dispatch log files from Broadcastify.com indicate the pit bulls were "at large" too. "Copy that. 371 Westmoreland two pit bulls at large, copy," says a voice who might have been animal control. The dispatcher replied, "Be advised, it started out as a domestic, so there are plenty of APD and EMS on scene." Animal control eventually collected both pit bulls. "Our deepest thoughts and condolences go out to the family," the Akron Police Department said in part in a statement.

In August 2020, less than five miles away, a family pit bull killed a 7-month old baby boy. The child's grandmother had been holding the child in her arms when the dog attacked. That child was also taken to Akron Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Since January 2020, family pit bulls have killed at least two infants in Dayton, Ohio as well. In one case, the infant's mother was sleeping on the sofa at the time. In the other case, the dog smothered the baby.

Infamous "Domestic" Case

The most notorious fatal pit bull mauling that "started out as a domestic" occurred in Texas back in 2012. In that case, police were at the home in connection with a domestic altercation between the baby's parents when the mauling took place. Police were outside the home taking statements from witnesses, when the child's grandfather set the baby on a bed inside the home. When the grandfather realized the baby had been attacked, he picked up the baby and fled outside.

Even when police are present, a family pit bull can kill a child. The mother in the Texas case had dropped the baby off at the father's home for visitation. The altercation between the parents, which escalated into pushing, occurred about an hour before the fatal attack. Apparently, that pit bull, which had a bite history, was still agitated at the time. Minutes before the attack, the mother had told a neighbor her main concern was the dog, and the baby being in the house with the dog.

domestic altercation - pit bulls kill child

Home in the 300 block of Westmoreland Street in Akron where family pit bulls killed a child.

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

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bulls Kill Man After He Entered a Home in Coweta County, Georgia

The two pit bulls that carried out a deadly attack in Coweta County, Georgia.

Man Killed by Dogs
Newnan, GA - A 21-year old man is dead after being mauled by two pit bulls in Coweta County. Alex Binyam Abraha of Atlanta, a possible intruder, entered a home on Walt Sanders Road on September 24 and encountered two pit bulls. He was found dead on the front porch when the homeowner returned. Coweta County sheriff's deputies responded to the scene. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) medical examiner ruled the cause of death to be a dog mauling.

Investigators say that evidence indicates that Abraha was inside the home where the dogs were located, but at some point died outside the home. Investigators say the homeowner, who was not home during the fatal pit bull mauling, does not know the man or why he would be inside his residence. According to deputies, Abraha has active warrants out for his arrest in Fulton County. No charges are expected against the homeowner, who law enforcement did not publicly identify.

Fox 5 News captured footage of the home's front door and porch, which has a sign stating, "Never mind the dog, beware of owner!" Another sign states, "Lord, make me fast and accurate. Let my aim be true and my hand faster than those who seek to destroy me. Grant me victory over my foes and those that wish to do harm to me and mine. Let not my last thought be, 'If I only had my gun.' And Lord, if today is truly the day that you call me home, let me die in a pile of empty brass."

A week after the deadly dog mauling, investigators still do not know how Abraha arrived at the home in rural Coweta County, which is adjacent to Fulton County. No vehicle was found. Animal control officers seized both dogs. The future of the dogs, whether they will be returned to the homeowner, is undetermined. Typical comments left on social media include, "The dogs were just doing their job!" and "Even if it was an intruder, trespassing is not a death penalty crime."

man killed by pit bulls in coweta county

Front porch of home on Walt Sanders Road where a man was found dead due to a pit bull attack.

The brother of the victim, Nazareth Abraha, does not believe the police version of events.

Despite being discovered dead on September 24, Alex Abraha was booked into the Clayton County jail until September 29, according to online county records. More information »

Family members have started a petition on Care2 petitions: Justice for Alex Binyam Abraha.

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

Posted on September 26, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Killed by Pit Bull She was Dog Sitting in Myrtle Point, Oregon; Dog Had History of Attacks

Coos Bay Man Found Guilty of Criminally Negligent Homicide

Amber LaBelle died after being attacked by a pit bull-mix at her Myrtle Point apartment.

Coos Bay Man Sentenced
UPDATE 11/12/22: Just over one year after a woman was killed by a dog that was under the care of her boyfriend, the man was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in connection to her death. On September 24, 2021, Amber LaBelle, then 42, was viciously attacked by a large dog that Jeremy Robertson had left at her home while he ran errands. On October 27, 2022, Robertson was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide, a Class B felony, for the attack.

The dog, a male 120-pound pit bull-American bulldog-mix, had a history of violence, including attacking two children several months earlier in Springfield, a city over 100 miles away from Myrtle Point, where the dog attacked LaBelle, killing her. On November 10, Robertson was sentenced to two years and two months in state prison, to be followed by three years of probation upon his release. Robertson was also ordered to pay $1,750 to pay for the cost of LaBelle's funeral.

09/27/21: History of Aggression
The large dog that attacked and killed 42-year old Amber LaBelle was a 120-pound pit bull-American bulldog-mix, according to Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier. A police officer shot and killed the dog after the animal tried to attack him while he performed first aid on LaBelle. Both of LaBelle's daughters, ages 5 and 8, witnessed the vicious attack, Frasier said. This was not the first time this particular dog had attacked an individual either, according to the district attorney.

"We have received information that this is not the first incident where this particular dog had attacked other individuals," Frasier said. "It is our understanding that this dog attacked two minor children in Springfield in July of this year." Investigators have so far determined the dog was owned by Sara Nicholes of Springfield. "For some reason yet to be determined, she had placed the dog in the care and custody of a person named Jeremy Robertson," Frasier explained.

On the day of the attack, Robertson left the pit bull with LaBelle to run errands -- Robertson and the dog had spent the previous night at her apartment. "The dog had been put in a bedroom with the door shut and secured," Frasier said. Then LaBelle's ex-husband dropped off their children for visitation. LaBelle opened the bedroom door "and was promptly attacked by the dog," Frasier said. "The attack was witnessed by the two children." One was able to leave the apartment to get help.

Shuffling Dangerous Dogs

Though we have not commented on this issue in some time, the above scenario is quite common for dangerous dogs/dogs with bite histories. Nicholes placed her 120-pound biter into the care "and custody" of Robertson, LaBelle's boyfriend. Robertson couldn't leave the biter at his own home, he had to bring the biter to LaBelle's apartment, where she would also be taking care of her two young children the next day. The dog had previously bitten two minor children in July.

The only aspect missing from the story is which shelter agency adopted the biter out to begin with? According to Frasier, Nicholes resides in Springfield, which is 125 miles from Myrtle Point. Springfield is also in the greater Eugene area. The dog could have come from a number of Eugene animal shelters or rescues. The dog could, and probably did have, multiple owners prior to Nicholes as well. Dogs with bite histories often cycle through multiple owners and jurisdictions.

The hulking pit bull, with a hulking prong collar, that fatally attacked Amber LaBelle.

09/26/21: Woman Killed by Dog
Myrtle Point, OR - A 42-year old woman is dead after being violently attacked by a dog. The attack occurred Friday, September 24, at about 10:00 am in the woman's apartment in the 1700 block of Spruce Street. Police identified the victim as Amber LaBelle. Police said the dog was known to LaBelle, and it was not a random attack. The Reddit thread contains a screenshot of comments left on one of the news article threads, which strongly indicates the fatal attacker was a pit bull.

"Another neighbor was holding a huge pit bull back from trying to get at Amber more." -- Pit bulls typically "repeatedly" attack their victims.

"I immediately went to Amber," the commenter writes, "she was laying on the floor unresponsive. Blood was everywhere, I tried to locate all her injuries to apply pressure to stop the bleeding. An officer came and he and I carried her outside," the commenter writes. "I did everything I knew how to do from all of my training. The paramedics and officers, everyone worked together to help Amber." LaBelle was airlifted to the medical center at RiverBend, where she died of her injuries.

Audio dispatch log files from Myrtle Point Fire do not contain breed information, but they do portray a scene of chaos. God bless the police officers and fire crews who respond to these horrific life-threatening dog maulings, largely carried about by pit bulls. "I don't know if the dog is contained at this time," the dispatcher states. One person in the background yells, "This is insane!" An explosive, unprovoked attack by a pit bull is "insane," yet these attacks occur routinely.

Evening Updates

A late Sunday update by KEZI states the attack was perpetrated by a grey pit bull and that LaBelle was home with her two daughters at the time. Josef Dieckman, LaBelle's ex-boyfriend and the father of her children, spoke to KEZI. "One thing that I would want people to know is the very last thing she did on this Earth was save the lives of her children," Dieckman said. "I will be eternally grateful for that." LaBelle yelled for her girls to get out of the house when the dog first attacked.

According to neighbors, LaBelle did not own the pit bull. She was watching the dog for its owner, marking the fourth person to die under these conditions this year. In April, Jayden Henderson, 7, was killed while caring for her neighbor's two pit bulls in North Carolina. In June, Rebecca McCurdy, 28, was killed by two pit bulls while house sitting the owner's home in Oklahoma. Last month, Rhoda Wagner, 60, was killed by three pit bulls she was dog sitting in Pennsylvania.

Amber LaBelle killed in dog attack - Myrtle Point

The fatal dog attack occurred at this apartment building in the 1700 block of Spruce Street.

Listen to part of the audio dispatch log files from Myrtle Point Fire from Broadcastify.com.

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

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County Forced to Return Five Fatally Attacking Dogs to Owners

Coos Bay Man Found Guilty of Criminally Negligent Homicide