Posted on May 19, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Teenager Killed by Pack of Dogs on the Navajo Nation in Fort Defiance, Arizona

Lyssa Upshaw, 13-years old, was found dead near a pack of vicious dogs in Fort Defiance.

Legislation Passes
05/30/22: On April 24, the 24th Navajo Nation Council passed legislation amending Title 17, specifying a criminal nuisance offense and establishing penalties for owners of vicious dogs and other dangerous animals running at large that cause injury or death. The Navajo Nation Council passed legislation No. 0002-22, sponsored by Honorable Eugene Tso, with 23 in favor and 0 opposed. The legislation was signed into law by President Jonathan Nez on May 9, 2022.

The legislation follows a half dozen fatal dog attacks on the Nation since 2010, the most recent being the death of 13-year old Lyssa Upshaw. She was killed by a pack of vicious dogs in Fort Defiance on May 16, 2021. Upshaw was found curled up in a fetal position with "her clothes and pieces of flesh scattered around." Other victims include: Larry Armstrong, 55, in 2010 (Sundance, NM), Tomas Henio, 8, in 2012 (Pinehill, NM) and Kayden Begay, 3, in 2016 (Seba Dalkai, AZ).

The new legislation designates a criminal nuisance violation for owners that allows their dog to run at large, and while at large, that dog chases or attacks a person causing physical or mental injury or death. Punishment includes up to 30 days in prison and a fine of up to $1,000, or both. In the case of multiple violations, a conviction can yield up to 1 year in prison and a $5,000 fine. Those convicted under the statute shall also pay restitution for any costs incurred by the victim(s).

After Upshaw was killed by the pack of dogs, the owner hid the dogs from authorities, according to her mother, Ris Jones. Tribal officials were helpless to charge the owner, as the tribe's animal control laws at that time did not hold dog owners criminally responsible for attacks. The most they could do was fine the owner $500. On the one-year anniversary of her daughter's death, May 16, 2022, Jones asked community members to help celebrate the life and memory of her daughter.

Download: Title 17. Navajo Nation Law and Order - Vicious Dogs; Dangerous Animals

05/29/21: Navajo Nation Council
On May 27, 2021, the 24th Navajo Nation Council issued a press release confirming that 13-year old Lyssa Rose Upshaw was killed by a pack of dogs in Fort Defiance. The release addressed the Navajo Nation feral dog population and the necessity for action. The release also stated that three other people have been killed by dogs on the Nation over the past year. One death was mentioned specifically, a 5-year old boy was recently killed by a dog in Tiis Tsoh Sikaad, New Mexico.

During the last week in May, two separate meetings were held by the Law and Order Committee and the Resources and Development Committee. Items discussed included appropriating emergency funding to bring animal control staffing levels up to five officers per agency, as well as funding for the Navajo veterinary program for increasing the spaying and neutering clinics. Changes to the maximum number of dogs allowed, which is currently four, was also discussed.

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — This week, the Law & Order Committee (LOC) and Resources and Development Committee (RDC) of the 24th Navajo Nation Council held separate meetings where reports were given by various Navajo Nation government entities regarding the growing issues of feral dogs in communities.

The reports were requested after a recent incident, where 13-year-old Lyssa Rose Upshaw was fatally attacked by a pack of dogs in the Fort Defiance area. The Council held a moment of silence for her at last Friday’s Special Session to mourn her passing.

“Life is not worth a small fine nor a simple warning,” said Chairman Rickie Nez (T’iistoh Sikaad, Nenahnezad, Upper Fruitland, Tse’ Daa’ Kaan, Newcomb, San Juan). “These laws need to change because it is now a matter of life and death that we cannot afford to ignore.” …

Director of Criminal Investigations, Michael Henderson, said the recent dog attacks are not the first and that the Navajo Nation Police Department has received multiple reports about dog attacks resulting in severe injuries, including three other deaths in the past year.

Henderson recalled a recent case in Tiis Tsoh Sikaad where a 5-year-old was also fatally attacked by a dog. According to Henderson, the dog’s owner was only given a $500 citation for the attack, which he says is a common penalty that does not help the issue.

“[It] doesn’t seem that justice was served at the end,” stated Henderson. “Our department has distributed press releases to bring awareness to the issue and encourages the public to remain vigilant for their safety.”

Henderson acknowledged the current laws surrounding animal attacks do not waiver criminal prosecution due to the inability to determine whether attacks are intentional or not on behalf of dog owners...

05/19/21: Teenager Found Dead
Fort Defiance, AZ - A 13-year old girl was discovered dead on the Navajo Nation near a pack of vicious dogs. Lyssa Rose Upshaw asked her mother if she could go for a walk near the family's home. When her mother, Marissa Jones, got a call from her son saying, "Mom, you need to get over here," she knew something was wrong. Lyssa was discovered curled up in a fetal position. Her clothes and pieces of flesh were scattered around; signs indicative of a fatal pack attack.

"Her legs were all chewed up," her mother recalled. "She was gone."

The dogs were aggressive towards people at the scene, including police. By the time Animal Control arrived, the owners had hidden the dogs, Jones said. Officials eventually found 12 dogs locked in a building on the property. The dogs were seized as evidence. "They had to check them for blood, hair, anything that might be caught in their teeth or on their coat,” Jones said. She believes more dogs may have been involved too, but authorities could not locate them.

Fort Defiance Animal Control officers would not confirm or comment on the case. Her daughter's remains were sent to Flagstaff for an autopsy, Jones said. The dogs were known to be aggressive, according to Jones. "Everybody knows those dogs are mean," she said. Jones also said that NHA housing pet policies are enforced (certain dog breeds are banned from Navajo Nation Employee Housing units), and that more should be done to enforce the animal ordinances on the Nation.

Lyssa's death comes a month after the Associated Press reported that Covid-19 had hindered animal control services on the Navajo Nation, which spans 27,000 square miles. Last year, the pandemic forced Navajo authorities to shut down three of four animal shelters, states the report, in Tuba City and Many Farms, Arizona, and Shiprock, New Mexico. The only open shelter was in Fort Defiance, where this fatal attack occurred. Only two officers worked for the most part of 2020.

Navajo Nation Animal Control manager Kevin Gleason estimated the dog population on the Nation was back up to 250,000 dogs, just like it was 10 years ago. In 2020, his program only picked up about 7,000 dogs, instead of the normal 20,000 to 30,000 dogs annually. Most of those dogs, 80 to 90%, are euthanized. Also, the veterinary mobile spay/neuter unit was not used during the pandemic. The unit provides vaccination and spay/neuter service in rural areas on the Nation.1

Fatal Dog Attacks on Reservations

If Lyssa Upshaw was killed by this pack of dogs, she will be the fourth person fatally attacked by dogs on the Navajo Nation since 2010. In 2016, Kayden Begay, 3-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs in Seba Dalkai. In 2012, Tomas Jay Henio, 8-years old, was killed by up to nine dogs in Pine Hill. In 2010, Larry Armstrong, 56-years old, was killed by a pack of dogs near Gallup. Since 2010, there have been at least nine fatal dog maulings on Indian reservations nationwide.2

Marissa Jones posted on Facebook about the dog owners hiding the dogs from authorities.

View the DogsBite.org Google Map: Fatal Dog Attacks on American Indian Reservations.

Learn about breed-specific laws on Indian reservations in our Breed Safety Laws section.

1Sadly, we knew when we read the Associated Press article last month that fatalities might be a result. Indian nations in North America were hit especially hard by the pandemic.
2These numbers only reflect deaths that have been reported by the media.

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: 46-Year Old Man Dragged Up and Down Sidewalk, Killed by Pit Bull in Big Spring, Texas

Fourth Time Police Had Been Called to Owner's Home

A man died after being attacked by a pit bull and dragged up and down the sidewalk.

Man Killed by Dog
Big Spring, TX - A 46-year old man is dead after being attacked by a dog in Big Spring. The fatal attack occurred about 6:00 am in the 1100 block of East 13th Street. Neighbors told NewsWest 9 the man was dragged up and down the sidewalk before police arrived. Officers open fired on the dog, described as a pit bull, before Big Spring Animal Control took the dog into custody. John Henry, 46-years old, was transferred to Scenic Mountain Medical Center where he later died.

One neighbor, a former dispatch worker, witnessed the attack. "They were all around him just trying to get the dog off him," Traci Myrick said. "I just felt so helpless because I couldn’t do anything." Myrick awoke that morning to screaming and her own dogs barking. She quickly called 911. "They had sticks, they had a tire even all throwing it at the dog," she said. "The dog would stop a little bit and then go back to the man." Myrick stayed on the line with 911 during the attack.

According to neighbors, the owner of the dog lives at an abandoned home on the block. This is probably the fourth time police have been to the home, Myrick said, and they've only been living there for about three weeks. The owner also has a pit bull puppy, Myrick said. It is unclear at this time if the owner of the dog will face charges. The dog is currently being held at the Big Spring Animal Shelter. Big Spring is located in Howard County near the cities of Midland and Odessa.

Wednesday Updates

Myrick also spoke to Big 2 News and added more details. She even compared the pit bull's attack to a police K9 attack. "One man tried getting the dog to chase him down the street, he was the one who got bit,” Myrick said. “But, then the dog turned around and started attacking the man across the street, like police dogs do. I mean he just tackled him on the ground and went after him." She was panicked at the time, she said. "I was just trying to think of anything I can do to help this man."

Also, the Mayor Big Spring, Shannon Thomason, commented on the local police news release. Constituents were not pleased by his comments. "To see this kind of response from a city official is extremely embarrassing," Cody said. "Have you heard of decorum? Instead of condescension you could have approached the conversation with a helpful attitude and tried to educate one of your constituents on the details of a situation that obviously has people concerned for their safety."

One person told the mayor, referring to the number of roaming dogs in the city, "It’s a shame you don’t drive the streets of Big Spring more often." The mayor responded, "Now how would you know about my driving habits?" Commenter Rachel replied, "It’s a shame that you speak to constituents this way." Other people asked the mayor, "When is the next election?" Cody replied, "Not soon enough." Recall, this is a thread about a 46-year old man killed by a loose pit bull.

Media Release - 5-11-2021

On the 11th of May 2021, at approximately 6:00 A.M., Big Spring Police Department officers responded to the 1100 block of E. 13th due to an unknown disturbance. Upon arrival, officers immediately observed a dog attacking a male individual identified as John Henry, Hispanic/Male 46 years of age. Officers observed two more individuals outside trying to get the dog to stop attacking Mr. Henry. The officers discharged their weapons in the direction of the dog, scaring the dog away.

Mr. Henry was immediately transported to Scenic Mountain Medical Center for treatment, but unfortunately, has died. The actual cause of death is not known at this time; an autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow morning. The Big Spring Police Department Criminal Investigations Division arrived on scene and are currently investigating this incident. Animal Control Wardens arrived on scene and were able to capture the dog which is now in quarantine at the Big Spring Animal Shelter. During this incident, another male individual was also bitten; he was treated and released from SMMC. This case is still under investigation and no further information is available at this time.

Chief of Police, Chad Williams
Administrative Lieutenant Brian Gordon
CID Sergeant John Haynes

dragged up and down - killed by pit bull

Area where man was fatally attacked by a pit bull and dragged up and down the sidewalk.

Join Texas Dog Bite Victims' Advocacy - Join our Texas email list to stay informed

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 May 11, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Newborn Baby Killed by Family Pit Bull-Mix in Norwich; Arson in New London May be Connected

Infant Carter Settles was fatally attacked by a family pit bull in Norwich, Connecticut.

Infant Identified
UPDATE 05/11/21: Police have identified an infant killed by a family dog on Monday as Carter Settles. The baby was being held by a family member when "the dog jumped up on the adult family member and began biting Carter," Norwich police Lt. John Perry said. Hours after the baby's death, police said the boy's father, Timothy Settles, was the last person seen before a fire damaged a New London home. Settles is currently a person of interest in the early morning arson.

Norwich police said the family dog was a male pit bull-mix. "At this time in the investigation, we are unable to determine how long the family had the dog and how old the dog is," Perry said. The infant suffered multiple traumatic injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene. At the time of the attack, the baby was in the home with his mother and paternal grandmother. His father was not present. Police have not indicated any possible motives behind the New London blaze.

Earlier, we reported that in September 2020, Timothy Settles was charged with multiple crimes while residing on McKinley Avenue. The Day examined those charges today. Settles was arrested in an assault on a pregnant woman living there. The victim told police that Settles had lured her home from work by falsely claiming their apartment was on fire. Settles pleaded guilty to assault and interfering with police. Last night, Settles' son was killed by a dog at the McKinley location.

The report said police responded to a call about a disturbance in the back of Settles’ residence on Sept. 19. The pregnant victim told police that Settles had lured her home from work by falsely claiming their apartment was on fire.

The woman said their argument turned physical, when he began hitting her on the head and scratching her neck, according to the report. Police identified bruising to the woman’s forehead and a laceration to the back of her neck.

Police said Settles resisted when officers tried to put him in handcuffs. It took three officers to handcuff his hands in front of his body, as he was on the ground on his back, the report said. He was unable to be processed due to his "irate behavior" and was placed in a holding cell at Norwich Police Department. He was read his rights, fingerprinted and photographed the next day. - The Day, May 11, 2021

Settles no longer resides at the apartment on McKinley Avenue. It has not been established if Settles had connections to the property on Rosemary Street, where he was seen just before a fire broke out at 4:00 am Tuesday morning. Settles remains at large following the New London fire. New London officials still have not released details about how the fire was started, only that the fire is being investigated as arson and that they are seeking Settles as a person of interest.

Watch: Norwich Police Department give update on deadly dog attack

05/11/21: Infant Killed by Family Dog
Norwich, CT - A 1-month old baby has died after being attacked by a family dog. Officers were dispatched to a multifamily residence in the 100 block of McKinley Avenue about 8:40 pm for a report of a dog attack. Arriving officers found the newborn baby injured by the dog. The infant was pronounced dead at the scene. Police described the dog as a pit bull-mix. Police have been providing support and counseling to the family and the officers who responded to the scene.

Last year, a number of infants were killed by family dogs. Eight infants, ages 4 weeks to 7 months old, died after being attacked by a dog. Family pit bulls were responsible for half of these deaths. Three breeds were responsible for 3 deaths, American bulldog-mix (1), Belgian malinois (1) and German shepherd-mix (1), and one death that occurred in military housing did not release breed data. One parent was criminally charged and pleaded guilty to one count of felony neglect.

No fatal dog attacks have been reported in the state of Connecticut since 2019, when a rescue pit bull belonging to Annie Hornish, the Connecticut senior state director of the Human Society of the United States, killed a 95-year old woman by inflicting a Level 6 bite. After the attack, Hornish falsely claimed the elderly victim, Janet D'Aleo, had died due to "falling." In January 2021, the estate of D'Aleo reached a $2 million dollar settlement against Hornish and her husband.

Mid Morning Updates

Fox 61 reports that a fire at a New London home Tuesday morning that sent one person to the hospital with injuries may be linked to the newborn's mauling death. New London Fire responded to a 2-alarm fire on Rosemary Street at about 4:00 am Tuesday. A woman was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. New London police say they are looking for 32-year old Timothy Settles as a person of interest to be questioned with respect to the arson investigation.

Watch: New London Fire and Police press conference about arson investigation

Settles is the father of the infant who was killed by the dog, according to New London Police Chief Peter Reichard. WFSB is is at the scene of the New London house fire. The fire was started on the front porch. Persons living on the first floor were not home at the time. All persons living upstairs were able to exit the home. Fire "opened up the roof" of the home to put out the fire. Settles was the last person seen at the home before the fire was started. No warrants have been issued.

According to The Day, Timothy Settles, 32, of 36 McKinley Avenue, Norwich was charged with disorderly conduct, third degree assault and interfering with police back in September 2020. 36 McKinley Avenue is the location of the fatal dog mauling Monday night. On Tuesday, a dog trained in detecting accelerants was called to the scene of the arson. The two-story home appears to have suffered significant damage. Multiple windows were blown out and extensive charring was seen.

The Courant provided an update on the dog attack. "We don’t have any information to let us know why the dog did what he did," Norwich Lt. Anthony Gomes said. "It was reported to be without warning." Two adults witnessed the attack, he said. It wasn’t clear if Settles was one of them. "Unfortunately, because of the nature of the incident we haven’t been able to talk to the mother. She is distraught," Gomes said Tuesday. Meanwhile, New London police are looking for Settles.

An arson at a New London home maybe connected to a dog attack that killed an infant boy.

A black pit bull seen on the mother's Facebook page -- a neighbor said the pit bull was black.

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

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Colleen Lynn

2021 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Dies of Injuries After Pit Bull Owner Plays 'Victimhood' and Asks, 'But What About Me?'

Dustin Vincent, 27-years old, died of his injuries after a violent pit bull attack on May 6.

Dustin Gained His Wings
UPDATE 05/11/21: According to a spokesperson for Dustin's family, he gained his wings at 3:20 pm today. Dustin Vincent, 27, was horribly mauled by a pack of pit bulls belonging to Brandi Cormier on May 6 while he visited her home. He suffered extreme injuries to his head and skull. He was airlifted to a Lafayette hospital in critical condition. Yesterday, the mother of his children said that Dustin had a Code Blue. A balloon release and vigil is planned for tonight at 7:00 pm.

Vigil attendees wore "Vincent Strong" tee-shirts and released balloons.

KPLC-TV attended the vigil. They spoke to Tonya Laughlin. "This isn’t something like a normal dog bite," she said. "This was three animals tearing a piece of meat apart. This isn’t the first time. This is the second time these dogs have attacked somebody." His mother, Michelle LeJeune, said he was looking for Brandon. When he realized he wasn't there, he started to leave. "That is when I heard the dogs attacked him," LeJeune said. They had bitten someone two days earlier, she said.

Please help: Dustin's family is raising funds on Facebook to help pay for his funeral costs.

05/10/21: Code Blue - Pray for Dustin
Sulphur, LA - Last week, a devastating pit bull attack occurred in Louisiana. Dustin Vincent, 27-years old, has been fighting for his life in a hospital ever since. Hours ago, a woman who is pregnant with his baby released a video to Facebook. Through tears and agony, Jeni said that Dustin had a Code Blue last night. "Now they are saying that he doesn't have any brain activity." Jeni is asking people for prayers. Pray for Dustin. "Dustin please pull through baby," she said.

A medical fund started for Dustin now also says they are raising money for funeral expenses. Previously, it stated that he was in critical condition. "He's having lots of surgery done and is not out of the woods. Yesterday at 12 in the afternoon he was attacked by dogs ... He could be [at the hospital] for up to 3 months or more." Today the fund states, "He’s coded and his kidneys are failing," and "Please help this family with funeral expenses and his children's need and care."

On May 6, Sulphur police officers were dispatched to a residence in the 900 block of Platt Street. They arrived to find a man on the ground inside a fence-in yard being actively attacked by three pit bulls. Officers Tased one of the dogs, causing the other dogs to move away. Dustin was airlifted from the scene to Lafayette hospital in critical condition. At the time of the attack, Dustin was visiting the residence on Platt Street to see a family member, but that relative was not home.

Dustin suffered severe facial and skull damage, along with severe wounds to his legs, police said. Animal control impounded four pit bulls at the home. KPLC spoke to the owner of the dogs, Brandi Cormier, who victim-blamed then wallowed in "victimhood" on camera. “I’m so sorry for his family,” Cormier said. "This has scarred me for the rest of my life. Everybody says pray for his family. But what about me? I tried to save him. I tried to make him get out," Cormier softly pleaded.

Cormier claimed her pit bulls had never been aggressive before, even though she clearly used them to guard her notorious home on Platt Street. She also claimed one of the dogs was a "$10,000 dollar breed dog," (an entertaining illusion like Dogecoin). "I’m gonna have them spayed and neutered and one of them is a 10,000 dollar breed dog,” Cormier said. "So that takes income away from my house." Predictably, Cormier was also running a backyard breeding operation.