Posted on April 28, 2020 by Colleen Lynn

$4,500 Reward for Information Leading to Arrest and Indictment of Pit Bull Owner in Atlanta after 'Dog Attack and Dash'

Video shows the suspect leaving the scene after a vicious "dog attack and dash" in Atlanta.

Police Increase Reward
Atlanta, GA - On April 2, Lane Pilcher and her dog Banjo were walking along a popular trail in Atlanta called the BeltLine when a pit bull "barking very aggressively" broke free from its owner and attacked Pilcher and her dog. "All I had time really to do was grab my dog, pick him up and turn my back toward this dog that was coming at me," Pilcher told CBS 46. She picked up Banjo, but the pit bull latched onto her right arm and "took a whole chunk out of my arm," she said.

"Police say the victim, who is a Buckhead resident in her 30s, and the suspect were each walking their dogs April 2 around 5 p.m. on the BeltLine near the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center at 2125 Northside Drive. According to the police report, the suspect’s dog broke free of its leash and ran toward the victim. The victim said she "picked up her dog and turned her shoulder facing the charging canine," according to the police report. The attacking dog jumped and bit the victim on the upper arm, causing a serious wound that required surgery." - Atlanta In Town

The suspect pulled her dog off Pilcher while several witnesses aided Pilcher, according to police. The suspect said she would secure the dog, but instead fled with her dog and sped off in her vehicle, police said. "The suspect was driving a white BMW car with an Ohio license plate with the number HLM8829 and a front novelty plate reading "535 BMW," reports Atlanta In Town. Police released surveillance video of the suspect leaving the scene with her pit bull on April 14.

The owner is seen in a garage using a retractable leash and holding something in her left hand, but we can't tell what that item is.

The initial reward was $2,000. Police later increased it to $4,500. Pilcher shared an image of her graphic injury on her Facebook page. "The photo of my arm is difficult to look at but we don’t want this to happen to anyone else," she wrote. Her injury is an avulsion; all areas of the skin have been torn away. Commenter Kim Hudson Hall warned her, "We went thru same thing in January 2019. You will find GA laws & county ordinances on dog bites not favorable to you. Good luck!"

Dog Bite Statute

The Georgia dog bite statue is complex and requires a victim to prove the owner had knowledge of the dog's vicious propensities (one bite rule) and prove the owner either "carelessly managed" the dog or allowed it "to go at liberty." The owner can also be found liable on the "ordinance ground," where the victim must prove the dog was not at heel or on a leash as required by a local ordinance, and that the owner either "carelessly managed" the dog or allowed it "to go at liberty."

This suspect had a leashed pit bull that broke free. She did not allow her dog to "go at liberty," such as walking the dog without a leash. "Careless management" is not as simple as it appears either. Carelessness may require a higher degree of irresponsibility, such as "keeping the dog tied to a tree with a chain that extends to the curb" or "entrusting the dog to an incompetent caretaker like a 5-year-old," according to DogBiteLaw.com. We hope Pilcher obtains a good attorney!

Monetary Reward

It is unusual for us to see a monetary reward offered after a violent dog attack.1 Further, owners of pit bulls routinely flee the scene with their dog after an attack, especially when the victim is another animal. Attacks on humans involve the rare possibility of rabies, which has an incubation period of weeks to months, depending upon the location of the bite (the closer to the brain the shorter the period). Once clinical signs appear, it is too late. Rabies is nearly always fatal.

In addition to the surgeries Pilcher underwent, she may have already undergone the rabies vaccine too, which is 4 doses over a 14-day period. It should be a Class A misdemeanor in every state when a dog owner flees the scene after his or her dog bites a human, due to the lethality of rabies and its cost. The vaccine can cost up to $10,000. In the rare cases that we do see urgent police alerts asking the public to help locate a dog owner, it regards the dog's vaccination status.

Criminal Charges

We contacted the Atlanta Police Department to clarify the charges against this female suspect. Officer Anthony Grant told us in an email exchange the "woman could be charged with reckless conduct." Grant also reminded us that the investigation is still open and that charges could change, as the investigation progresses. This charge is far more serious than failure to provide proof of rabies vaccination, which is typically a modest infraction or low-level misdemeanor.

Under Georgia criminal code, reckless conduct is when a person "causes bodily harm to or endangers the bodily safety of another person by consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk that his act or omission will cause harm or endanger the safety of the other person and the disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care" a reasonable person would exercise. It is a misdemeanor that carries up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

"A bite really doesn't describe what happened here ... Unbelievable and heartless that she would just leave me badly injured." - Lane Pilcher

Only about 20% of fatal dog maulings result in meaningful criminal charges, which we define as a felony charge or at least 6 months in jail. Criminal charges after severe injury nonfatal maulings may be even less common (no system tracks this, so no one knows). It is clear that the combination of Georgia criminal code and the outrageous acts of this suspect compelled not only criminal charges, but also a reward of $4,500 for information leading to the arrest of this suspect.

Pit Bull Bite Injury

Pilcher said that doctors were not able to "put any stitches in my arm because there was nothing there to reattach." Frequently inflicting avulsion and degloving injuries is yet another way that pit bull injuries are more severe than bites by other breeds; both wound types often require skin grafting. Bordering on tears, Pilcher states the universal prayer of all dog mauling victims: "We all need to do whatever we can to make sure that this doesn't ever happen to somebody else."

The universal prayer of all dog mauling victims, "This cannot ever happen to someone else," is the steadfast conviction that drives our mission.

Pilcher's Facebook page states that she is an RN at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. WSB-TV reported that she treats Covid-19 patients. A similar "dog attack and dash" recently occurred in Massachusetts. Jennifer Rolfs, who is a critical care nurse at Beth Israel Medical Center, nearly lost her dog Oscar to a violent pit bull attack. Those pit bull owners, also captured on video, fled the scene after their dogs attacked. Rolfs told WHDH, "This whole month’s been a bad dream."

Rolfs also describes a possible degloving injury inflicted by one of the pit bulls on Oscar's back leg. "The pit bull must have had the leg in his mouth and they ripped it off, so the skin is pretty torn apart," she said (Notice how her hands imply peeling back skin?). Bridgewater State University Police Chief David Tillinghast said he was upset by the attack. "It’s just no way for people to act, particularly right now." Tillinghast has asked the suspects to come forward -- fat chance!

Summary

It is unusual for us to see a monetary award and criminal charges after a nonfatal dog mauling. The latter type, alone, certainly occur. Georgia's "Responsible Dog Ownership Law" applies to serious injury and death caused by a dog attack. Notably, Atlanta police must know who the female suspect is -- the surveillance camera captured both license plates. The reward of $4,500 pertains to locating the whereabouts of this suspect that leads to an arrest and indictment.

"Dog attack and dash" is a fairly common response by pit bull owners after an attack, especially when the victim is a pet. Covid-19 conditions are not going to change this. This was one of the first behaviors of pit bull owners that we called out during the first year of our operation in 2008. We wrote about this 18 times that year alone. More search results from that period appear for the terms "fled the scene" too. Expecting a behavior change due to Covid-19 is wishful thinking.

Finally, locating the Atlanta suspect does not equate to locating her dog, which would prevent future attacks by this dog. This attack occurred 26 days ago. That dog could be anywhere now, including back in Ohio. An owner that flees the scene of a vicious attack is the same type of owner who will hide their pit bull(s) after an attack.2 Recall what Officer Grant told us: "It is important to note the investigation is still open and charges could change, as the investigation progresses."

The victim, Lane Pilcher, speaks to CBS 46 after a vicious "dog attack and dash" in early April.

The suspect's white BMW seen leaving the scene after a "dog attack and dash" in Atlanta.

1We see plenty of awards involving pit bull cruelty cases -- those are often paid for by animal welfare groups.
2We linked to the Deaunte Nobles case to help readers understand "reckless conduct" in Georgia. Nobles was charged with 3 counts of reckless conduct for allowing his pit bulls to run free, 3 counts for failing to call 911 for the victim and 1 count of reckless conduct left undefined. Nobles hid his pit bulls instead of turning them over to authorities and his dogs had a history of aggression. The victim Dudley Willis, 42, had both arms amputated.

Other news articles:
04/21/20: Police Increase Reward in Dog Attack Along Atlanta BeltLine
04/21/20: Woman Attacked by Dog on BeltLine in Northwest Atlanta

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Colleen Lynn

After Severe Facial Attack by a Relative's Pit Bull, Shame Follows and a Willingness to Suppress Breed Information

Camdon Bozell suffered multiple fractures after being attacked by a relative's pit bull.

Severe Facial Attack
Plainwell, MI - Late Monday, we learned that a 6-year old boy was attacked in the face by a relative's pit bull on Saturday. Camdon Bozell suffered a broken nose, fractured skull and many facial injuries. "He underwent emergency surgery and was pieced back together by a plastic surgeon and taken to ICU for recovery," states Becky Rose, the organizer of his fundraiser. The attack occurred at his paternal grandmother's home, while his mother, Tristin Lent, was at work.

In what we can only term as "bizarre," Lent spoke to Fox 17 about her son's attack, but spent nearly an equal amount of time "defending the breed." Lent was surprised the pit bull "went for his face" in "literally a second." The attack was "totally unprovoked," she said. "This dog has no history of aggression. He's used to being around loud, rambunctious kids," she said. Unknowingly, Lent just ticked off the well-identified risks of why pit bulls are dangerous, especially to children.

Next, Lent defended the breed. "I love pit bulls too and always have," she said. Then she displayed shame and a willingness to suppress breed information. "Now when people are asking 'what breed' he was, and I just don't want to answer them," she said. "Because I know that once I say, 'it's a pit bull'…" Again, this is after Lent stated the reasons why pit bulls are dangerous: an unprovoked violent attack to the face and the pit bull, allegedly, had no history of aggression.

"The data showed that compared with other dog breeds, pit bull terriers inflicted more complex wounds, were often unprovoked, and went off property to attack ... The probability of a bite resulting in a complex wound was 4.4 times higher for pit bulls compared with the other top-biting breeds ... and the odds of an off-property attack by a pit bull was 2.7 times greater than that for all other breeds."1

Though we have not yet done a post devoted to the above West Virginia study (we only show highlights), it has relevant findings given Lent's reaction. The study is the first to define a "mauling event." Mauling injuries were recorded "when 3 or more bites occurred over 2 or more distinct regional anatomic areas, typically the craniofacial region, back, torso, and extremities." Pit bulls were responsible for the most, 12, and 67% (8) of these attacks were inflicted on family members.

The study also examined scienter status, which was "directed at all owners and some relatives whose dog inhabited the domicile in which the attack took place." This status was "recorded as positive if there was knowledge of aggressive behavior of the dog (dogfighting, growling, or posture indicating threat of chasing or biting) or the dog had attacked or bitten a person before the current injury," states the study. Pit bull owners, however, could not be trusted to be honest.

Pit bull owners admitted to a positive scienter status in 14 of the 49 recorded bites. However, knowledge of previous aggression could not be determined for a high number of pit bulls because of the non-family status of the dog or because the owners or family members were ambiguous as to their dog's behavior history or "would not admit such knowledge." One adult who sustained mauling injuries refused to identify the breed of her dog, thus it remained "unknown" in the study.

For the remainder of this post, it is presumed this mauling event was carried out by the female victim's own pit bull, not an "unknown" breed.

Lent is now in the position of doing the same thing. "Now when people are asking 'what breed' he was, and I just don't want to answer them," she said. No doubt due to the person's predictable response. "That is what pit bulls are known for." They will attack without provocation; without a history of aggression (known or otherwise); will inflict complex wounds, and in this case, multiple facial and skull fractures. This was a "mauling event," not a "dog bite" as the fundraiser claims.

Further, of the 9 unreported fatal dog maulings we have uncovered through public records requests, 89% (8) involved pit bulls and 78% (7) involved family pit bulls killing a household member. Thus, the most common scenario of an unreported fatal dog mauling involves a family pit bull. This may be due to the same shame demonstrated by Lent. Pit bull owners and their family members will undermine statistics by suppressing information after a fatal pit bull mauling.

The Creepy Video

In addition to the GoFundMe, the organizer published a disturbing video of the boy in distress. The video, in our eyes, was strictly for fundraising purposes. In the background, one hears the mother attempting to console her son. The creepy fundraising video appears to be exploitive, but perhaps was a necessary evil in the fundraiser's mind to garner more donations. By Wednesday afternoon, the fund for Camdon had reached over $36,000 with the initial goal of reaching only $2,000.

Owner of the Dog

Camdon was visiting his paternal grandmother's home when the attack occurred, but this does not inform readers who owns the dog. The dog could belong to the grandmother or family members who lived at her home or were visiting. The fundraiser only indicates the owner is male. The "ambiguousness" of who owns the pit bull is deliberate by family members, just as pit bull owners or family members were ambiguous about their dog's history of aggression in the medical study.

Alarmingly, the Fox 17 article insinuates the dog is being hidden by the owner as well. "Kalamazoo County Animal Control is investigating the case, but would not comment further," states the article. "The exact whereabouts and future for the dog are unknown at this time," states the article. That was reported Monday evening and the attack occurred on Saturday. Given this outrageous ambiguity, we imagine there is a good chance Camdon is also undergoing rabies vaccination.

That would be one more checkbox from the West Virginia medical study. No provocation, no scienter status, no vaccination, simple wounds: yes, complex wounds: yes, multiple fractures: yes (facial and skull), and in this case, the attack was on property. Among vaccination status in the study, it states: "Most dogs were vaccinated. A disturbing trend was noted, however, among pit bulls: 37% were not vaccinated or could not be confirmed as vaccinated, which was significant."

Table from the medical study, Dog-Bite Injuries to the Craniofacial Region (Kahn, et al., 2020)

Owning a Pit Bull

The stigma of being a defender of the breed, as Lent displayed, or owning a pit bull, as the female in the study displayed by refusing to name her dog breed after it attacked her, most often comes to light after an unprovoked attack by a family pit bull. There is shame because the public has known for many years that pit bulls are a well-identified risk for inflicting severe injury. When an innocent child is the victim, the shame experienced by the owner or their family members is likely worse.

We have also seen denial by family members after a family pit bull has killed a household member: "The family does not blame the breed."2

On the Fox 17 Facebook post, commenter Sierra Moore-Day claimed to "know this particular situation" and stated what other commenters said. The "boy's uncle lives with the grandma and is the owner of the dog."3 Moore-Day defended Lent, calling her a "great mother" and that "it sucks that her interview with the news comes off as that she is still a supporter of the breed." Moore-Day also stated that Lent asked the owner of the dog to put it down and the male owner refused.

Though this information is unconfirmed, Moore-Day is believable. She is also correct that Lent had no control over how Fox 17 edited her interview. Media often picks the most controversial (or emotional) aspects of an interview to create drama or to incite controversy. However, Lent did say what she said. Those words were then juxtaposed against her son's injuries after being mauled by a relative's pit bull that was "used to being around loud, rambunctious kids," according to Lent.

Summary

Pit bull supporters, owners and their family members will suppress breed information, either to lower their feelings of shame or to "protect the breed" after a serious or fatal mauling. The West Virginia study documented that an owner will even do this in a trauma center after being severely attacked by her own dog. When the denial of well-identified risks is confronted by an actual outcome, an unprovoked facial attack resulting in severe injury, humiliation sometimes follows.

Operating on the theory that Moore-Day's information is valid does not remove what Lent said on camera, but it does offer context. Lent did not own the dog, has asked the owner to put it down, and the owner, allegedly the child's uncle, has refused. The child's uncle is the despicable party. Lent said, "I love pit bulls too and always have" at a disastrous time. She also expressed shame and a willingness to suppress breed information when she did not even own the pit bull!

Camdon Bozell needs all of the help that he can get. His road to recovery will be long and insurance only covers reconstructive surgeries, not cosmetic. The GoFundMe states that he may have "possible nerve damage to the left side of his face" too. Throughout his recovery, there will be too many doctor visits to count. As his face and skull grows, he will likely undergo future plastic surgery. This tragedy could have been prevented if the uncle had owned a beagle instead.

camdon bozell, suppress breed information

Camdon Bozell seen in hospital bed after being attacked in the face by a relative's pit bull.

In August, it was confirmed that the male pit bull that attacked Camdon was named "Chaos."

You can make a donation to Camdon Bozell's "Mauling Event" medical fund at GoFundMe.

1Dog-Bite Injuries to the Craniofacial Region: An Epidemiologic and Pattern-of-Injury Review at a Level 1 Trauma Center by by Khan K, Horswell B and Samanta D, MS J Oral Maxillofac Surg, March 2020 [2019 Nov 14, Epub].
2The brother of the victim's full statement after Connie Holley was brutally attacked by her son's pit bull: "The family does not blame the breed. I am her brother. I love pits have only met a couple that have been bad. I personally think the dog a rabies. This dog did not attack like a normal dog. It attracted her drug her into the bushes, brutally ripping her thighs down to the bone. He bit her on the neck and behind her head, he them continued to rip and chew on her for the next 4 hours. It was a horrible tragedy. But I don't blame the breed. So that I squared up maybe you can do something constructive and tell people to vaccinate their pets." [sic]
3 The male pit bull could be "Chaos." We hope we are wrong about this.

Posted on April 17, 2020 by Colleen Lynn

2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Dies Seven Days After Violent Pit Bull Mauling in Southwest Arkansas; No Media Reports

Roger Kirk died seven days after a violent pit bull attack in southwest Arkansas.

Horatio, AR - On April 3, we became aware of a violent pit bull mauling in southwest Arkansas that led to a man's death seven days later. The attack occurred on March 19, south of Horatio in Seiver County near the Little River Country Club, according to family members. Roger Glenn Kirk, 69 years old, of Horatio, was transported to University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) for emergency treatment, the only Level 1 trauma center for adults in the state of Arkansas.

His brother stated in a public Facebook post on March 20 that he was in stable condition after a three-hour surgery. Roger suffered severe trauma to both arms, according to his daughter. He was scheduled for another surgery on March 22. At that time, Roger could have no visitors, due to the trauma center's lockdown for COVID-19. "For the foreseeable future, no one can see him," states the post. Roger also had lacerations to his face and was undergoing the rabies vaccine.

On the morning of March 26, his brother posted a medical update. By this point, Roger had undergone multiple surgeries. His condition had worsened too, including doctors discovering a fistula, which is caused by complications in surgery or by injury, and he was moved to ICU. "He will not be discharged anytime soon," states the post. "If he doesn't improve quickly, they may have to place him in an LTACH, which is a long term acute care hospital," states the post.

By 2:20 pm that day, Roger's brother and son announced his passing. A friend of his brother, Christa, states in a post, "Roger Kirk passed away a short while ago from his injuries received in mid March from being attacked by a pit bull." In comments, Christa states the pit bull belonged to a neighbor. We wrote to the Seiver County Sheriff's Office on April 6, trying to gain confirmation of the attack date and dog breed involved, but they never responded to our information request.

According to Intelius.com, Roger Kirk of Horatio was 69 years old. Various Internet address tools indicate he lived off of Highway 41 South, about 3.7 miles from the Little River County Club. After his death, family members posted tributes to Facebook. His brother called him a "song writer and poet." Another said Roger has gone to "harmonica playing heaven." Roger had multiple Facebook pages. One states that his business, "Kirk Rocks," did custom stone design and landscaping.

Our hearts go out to his family members. One daughter wrote in her tribute, "Me and my sister said goodbye to him as he was taking his last breath, we sang Amazing Grace through the phone," indicating that family members were unable to be at his bedside. "He left his mark in so many ways and on so many hearts!" Like every family who loses a loved one right now, they must delay services, due to shelter-in-place orders and the difficulty, if not impossibility, of traveling.

We also wrote to The De Queen Bee newspaper, De Queen is the county seat of Seiver County, trying to gain confirmation of the attack and breed of dog involved. They never replied to us.

On March 19, Roger's son began asking for prayers for his father after the dog mauling.

roger kirk, southwest arkansas, dog mauling

Various photographs from family member tributes and Roger Kirk's own Facebook pages.

Recent medical study: Characteristics of Dog Bites in Arkansas, by Smith AM, Carlson J, Bartels AB, McLeod CB and Golinko MS, South Med J, 2018 Aug;111(8):494-500.

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

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 April 14, 2020 by Colleen Lynn

2020 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman Dies After Pit Bull Attack in Fort Worth; Cause of Death 'Mauling by Canine'

Sharon Baldwin, 60, died after being mauled by a pit bull brought to her home a week earlier.

Mauling by Canine
Fort Worth, TX - On April 12, a 60-year old woman died after being mauled by a dog, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office. Sharon Baldwin died due to "mauling by canine," states the examiner's website. The manner of death was an accident. The attack occurred on March 28 in the 800 block of East Hammond Street at Baldwin's home. A man who stayed at her home told animal control officers he had taken in the stray dog several days before the attack.

According to the Star-Telegram, "authorities" blamed the attack on Baldwin by either rolling over the dog in her wheelchair or falling on the canine, prompting the dog to attack. The dog attacked her arm, shoulder and neck. So far, there are five red flags in this news report. One, the unfamiliar dog was added to Baldwin's home just days before the attack. Two, no one witnessed the attack, thus it cannot be determined if she rolled over the dog in her wheelchair or fell on the canine.

Can it be determined if the dog dragged her out of her wheelchair, as we have seen multiple pit bulls do during fatal attacks in the past, including earlier this year? Three, according to the Star-Telegram, city officials said the dog had been staying at the home "without any problems" prior to the attack, despite the stray dog only being known to the victim for several days. Four, the dog attacked her neck. Five, the April 13 Star-Telegram article did not report the breed of dog.

Our concern is less directed at the newspaper. The entity can only report information that the unnamed officials have released. In this case, as we have seen in many other fatal dog maulings, the information released by "authorities" has been insufficient and frankly, cruel towards the victim. It is unclear if the "wheelchair or falling" information is even valid or just a "speculation game." The start of the attack was either witnessed or it was not witnessed. There is no gray in-between.

Provocation in an unwitnessed violent dog attack should never be based on speculation. Speculation should never be reported as "fact" either.

Pit Bull Euthanized

On April 14, the Star-Telegram reported the pit bull was euthanized Monday. The dog had been in the custody of animal control since the attack and was "evaluated before it was euthanized." Red flag number six. What were the results of this evaluation? That information was not released. Finally, the last red flag is the unidentified man who lived with the disabled Baldwin, who brought an unfamiliar pit bull into the home he shared with her. That mistake that cost Baldwin her life.

CBS DFW reported additional details. The unidentified man found the dog a week before the attack, according to officials. He was apparently caring for the dog until its unidentified owner came forward. The relationship between the man and Baldwin is unknown. There were no issues between the two residents and the dog until something happened Saturday that led to the attack. Thus, leading investigators to speculate the "wheelchair or falling" scenarios caused the attack.

"Officials learned there seemed to be no issues between the two residents and the dog until that Saturday when something happened that led to the attack. Investigators believe the woman may have either rolled over the dog with her wheelchair or fell on top of it."1 - CBS Dallas/Fort Worth

In a reverse course action, we are now taking back that our concern was not more directed at the Star-Telegram. The CBS DFW report contains more reliable information. Investigators typically always want to know "what led to a violent dog attack," even though most fatal pit bull maulings are either unprovoked or the stimuli was minor. For all we (or anyone knows), Baldwin fell out of her wheelchair for any number of reasons and the pit bull attacked her completely unprovoked.