Picture of pet pit bull that killed Arianna Merrbach in Effingham.
Autopsy Results
UPDATE 06/26/13: The coroner released autopsy results about a young girl killed by a chained pit bull. Florence County Coroner Keith Von Lutcken said the cause of death is due to multiple sharp blunt force injuries; the manner of death is an accident. Herbie Christmas with Florence County Environmental Services said there is evidence around the owner's property that shows the dog had been living on a chain for a long time, a violation of the county's tethering ordinance.
Christmas is reviewing charges against the dog's owner for the violation. "You can just look at the area where the dog is," Christmas explained, "I mean, the ground is completely bare. All the grass had been killed, I guess by way of the chain dragging across it. Just indicative marks of an animal being chained indefinitely." Environmental Services is working with the Florence County Sheriff's Office in the investigation. More information about possible charges is expected next week.
06/25/13: Aunt Owned Dog
Herbie Christmas with Florence County Environmental Services confirmed that the dog involved in the girl's death was a pit bull-mix. Christmas added that the animal was full grown and belonged to the aunt of the deceased child; an earlier report said the pit bull belonged to the child's mother. This was the first deadly dog mauling in the county in his 27-years of service, according to Christmas. On average they respond to between 8 and 10 dog attacks or bites per week.
"The animal in question was on a chain," Christmas said, "and we do have a tethering ordinance in Florence County, which prohibits that activity under Florence County's section six." The county passed a tethering ordinance in 2010 that did not ban tethering, but set forth rules, including how a dog could be tethered and for how long, an 8-hour limit per day. The ordinance was created to prevent animal cruelty, not to prevent child mauling injuries and deaths by chained dogs.
"Pit bull type dogs are in my opinion like a loaded gun, you need to treat it like a loaded gun," Christmas said, "you need to make sure that people from the public can't get into that area, and most importantly, you need to make sure that your dog doesn't go to someone else's dog and cause that person injury." That is exactly correct, but leaves out the dangerousness of chained pit bulls and children -- a deadly combination and one overriding theme of this pit bull fatality.
Remarkably, about a year ago, Lulu Waddell, the only neighbor who has thus far spoken to the media, contacted Environmental Services in fear of her neighbor's three pit bulls. The department's solution was to "tie them up in the back," according to Waddell. Now a young child is dead. Ironically, the sheriff's office is "unsure what charges, if any, may be filed" against the owner of the dog. Yet, animal cruelty charges may be filed if the dog was not "properly" tethered!
Lastly, the victim's name is Arianna Jolee Merrbach (with an "M").
06/25/13: Pit Bull Kills 5-Year Old
Effingham, SC - Late Tuesday morning, a 5-year old girl was attacked and killed by a chained pit bull at a relative's home. Florence County Coroner Keith von Lutcken confirmed the death of Arianna Jolee Nerrbach who died on scene. The attack occurred at about 11:15 am at 7208 Fork Road in Effingham. Florence County EMS and Howe Springs Fire Department first responded to the scene. The pit bull was surrendered by its owner and has already been euthanized.
This is the third fatal pit bull attack in South Carolina since January 1, 2013.
Lula Waddell, who lives next door to where the girl was attacked, said that animal control seized 3 dogs from the home, including the one that killed the girl. Waddell said the girl grew up with the dogs and the animals were usually tied up in the backyard. Waddell said the little girl sweet and friendly. The girl's body will be sent to the Medical University of South Carolina for an autopsy. Investigators are questioning relatives. More information is expected to be released soon.
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: South Carolina Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.Related articles:
05/21/13: 2013 Dog Bite Fatality: Paralyzed Man Pulled from Wheelchair Dies After Dog Attack
01/21/13: 2013 Dog Bite Fatality: Dog Mauls Woman to Death While Babysitting Toddler
Photo: WNCT.com
Would this be the same Effingham County that is sending a pit bull that attacked a child to a New York state rescue instead of putting it down where its history is known? http://savannahnow.com/effingham-now/2013-06-25/effingham-pit-bull-headed-new-york-shelter#.UcoWpjuzd3J
Pit bull advocacy continues to shuffle dangerous dogs and the deaths keep piling up. Where is the shame?
!!!
A neighbor, Lulu Waddell contacted Environmental Services about year ago about the dogs, she said she was scared of them running in her yard.
"I was afraid of them because I don't bother nobody's pitbulls, so when I called, they made them tie them up in the back," said Waddell.
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This department does not seem to understand the dangerousness of tethered dogs. This dog owner should have been required to build a proper fence.
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http://www.wnct.com/story/22682640/florence-county-5-year-old-girl-fatally-mauled-by-dog
Yes, this is the same town that is planning to send a different attacking pit bull to NY to maul and kill there.
For the record, pit bulls have killed three people in South Carolina this year. Remembering and mourning them here: Betty Todd, 65 yrs old; Carlton Freeman, 80 yrs old; and now Arianna Nerrbach, 5 yrs old.
Pit bulls have killed altogether ten people in South Carolina in the past ten years. Six of those were children. Remembering and mourning those here too: The three that died this year, plus Isaiah Calandis Smith, <2 yrs old; John Davis, 10 yrs old; Allen L Young, <2 yrs old; Brian Palmer, 1 yr old; Holden Jurnigan, 2 yrs old; Ethel Horton, 65 yrs old; Justin Lane, 25 yrs old.
Well, seeing the picture of the child really brings it home. What a sweet baby and what a horrific way to die !!!
Here's a second news item about the autopsy report:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/52314065/ns/local_news-charleston_sc/t/autopsy-info-released-fatal-dog-attack–year-old-girl-florence-county/#.Ucv2tjtYjap
It's distressing that coroners are participating in calling these pit / bulldog killings accidents. In this case, it's clear everyone knows the statistics and dangers and knows that these pit bulls were menacing neighbors earlier. A coroner should come to a different, valid conclusion. This was no accident.
Ryan Maxwell's murder has also been ruled an 'accident' by a corrupt coroner, despite the fact that the attack went on for twenty minutes and the pit bull owners made only symbolic attempts to stop the attack:
http://www.galesburg.com/news/x1806111285/Coroners-jury-rules-deaths-of-Ryan-Maxwell-Isaiah-Stevenson-as-accidental#axzz2XP7VME8N
222nd American killed by a pit bull since the CDC report covering 1979-1998.
At current pace, pit bulls will exceed the 330 DBRFs from all dogs (79-98) in September 2016. Just 17years after their corrupt, breed neutral assurances were given!
F-Minus public safety grade goes out to the humane lobby and the CDC.