An 18-year old woman named Lexi was killed by multiple pit bull-mix dogs in Coarsegold.
Police Press Release
Coarsegold, CA - On Monday, the Madera County Sheriff's Office issued a press release, followed by an alert, about a woman killed by dogs. Deputies were dispatched just after 3:30 pm for a dog attack near the 46000 block of Road 417 in Coarsegold. Upon arrival, they found the woman, who was pronounced deceased at the scene. The dogs involved were contained, but while being removed, two escaped. Deputies shot and killed one; the other, a large white pit bull-mix, remained at large.
DOG MAULING INVESTIGATION UPDATE
UPDATE 1:30p 12/17/24
A team of deputies was assigned to search for the outstanding dog from yesterday’s mauling incident. During a search of the area, the third canine that escaped last night was located. During the contact, Deputies were forced to put it down.
There is no further known threat to residents in that area. We believe the canines responsible for the mauling incident have been located.
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9:30pm—Residents in the area of the 46000 block of Road 417 in Coarsegold:
During the course of taking the dogs into Animal Control custody, two of the animals escaped containment. Deputies were forced to put one of them down, and the other is currently loose.The outstanding dog is a large pit bull mix described as white in color.
We ask residents in the area to be vigilant and remain alert. If you see any loose dogs, DO NOT APPROACH. Contact 9-1-1 with a description and your location. We will have a deputy posted in the area until the dog is located.###
DOG MAULING INVESTIGATION IN COARSEGOLD
Shortly after 3:30pm on 12/16/24, the Madera County Sheriff’s Emergency Communications Center received a call reporting a dog mauling near the 46000 block of Road 417 in Coarsegold.Deputies responded to the area and located a female victim, who was ultimately pronounced deceased at the scene. The dogs involved in the attack have been identified and are currently contained, awaiting removal by Animal Control. The owner of the dogs is being fully cooperative with the investigation.
This case is in the preliminary stages of investigation, and no further details are available for release at this time.
KSEE reports the two dogs escaped while they were being transported by animal control around 9:30 pm. Deputies urged residents in the area to be "vigilant and remain alert." If you see any loose dogs, "do not approach." Instead call 911 with a description. "We will have a deputy posted in the area until the dog is located," states the release. The dogs' owner is being cooperative with authorites. The victim's identity has not been released, nor have circumstances surrounding the fatal dog mauling.
Attack Occurred on Tribal Trust Land
Sheriff Tyson Pogue confirmed the fatal dog mauling occurred on tribal trust land, where Madera County statutory ordinances and animal control have no jurisdiction. The victim was not identified, but her age was, she's only 18 years old. Three dogs were involved in the attack and belong to the same owner. Pogue said the dogs were contained at the residence, which was about 100 feet from the attack. As deputies tried to remove the dogs, two escaped, forcing deputies to dispatch one dog.
On Tuesday, deputies located the other loose dog, the large white pit bull-mix, and dispatched that dog as well. The Madera County Sheriff's Office said the investigation is ongoing. Despite the divisions between the two jurisdictions, detectives are working with the Madera County District Attorney’s Office to determine if any criminal charges are appropriate. No other information has been released about the circumstances of the fatal dog mauling or the victim's relationship, if any, with the dogs' owner.
Three Pit Bull-Mix Dogs Destroyed
Also on Tuesday, Sheriff Tyson Pogue gave a press conference. The victim, who had been visiting from Fresno, was found deceased at Road 417 and Quartz Mountain Road. The reporting party saw two pit bull-mix dogs covered in blood and a third nearby. A neighbor explained to Pogue that he takes care of the dogs. “He specifically said they weren’t necessarily his dogs, but that they stayed with him, so it’s a little bit convoluted, I guess, in that matter,” Pogue stated during the press conference.
While police processed the scene, all three dogs were secured inside the neighbor's home, which was about 100 feet from the location of the attack, Pogue said. When animal control tried to take the dogs into custody, while they were pulling one dog out of the house, two rushed the door and escaped, Pogue said. One of those dogs was dispatched after it threatened personnel at the scene. After an extensive search by multiple deputies, the third dog was located the next day and euthanized.
GoFundMe for Dog Mauling Victim
The 18-year old victim's first name is Lexis. A GoFundMe campaign for her was organized by Vanessa Gomez. "As many of you know Lexis was involved in a dog attack that sadly took her from all of her loved ones yesterday December 16th." The fund has raised nearly $4,000. The fund asks for "everyone who knew and loved her to come together" and help her family lay her to rest properly. All donations are appreciated and will go to her mother to "cover all and any expenses during this time."
Her father, Garry Salas, states the fundraiser was created by her biological mother, Kellie. "I know everyone is confused about this so I'm making this post!! To all of our friends and family We have not made a GoFundMe account for our daughter Lexis Salas!!!" It seems family members will work this out, but there is some confusion. It was Lexi's roommate who set up the fund on behalf of Lexi's mother, who will be taking care of her daughter's funeral. Garry said he will also set up a fundraiser.
A GoFundMe was created for the 18-year old fatal dog mauling victim identified as Lexis.
Three pit bull-mix dogs, killed Lexis, 18, in Coarsegold near Quartz Mountain Road. The area is part of the Picayune Off-Reservation Trust Land near the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino.
View the DogsBite.org Google Map: California Fatal Pit Bull Maulings.Related articles:
11/11/19: 2019 Dog Bite Fatality: Man Mauled to Death by Vicious Pit Bulls in Madera, California
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.
Poor lady she died a horrible death by pitbull when they can outlaw pitbull so this constant pitbull fatal attack would never happen but I guess people valued dogs life over people lives. Espically pitbull the misunderstood dogs .days after days pitbull kill off anyone boys girls owner babies and elderly when will it end.
The pitbull craze will never end as long as folks continue to breed them. Passing laws condemning them would just send the breeders into hiding. Maybe if the death toll was much higher, people would listen. At Indpls Care & Control, pitbulls were immediately euthanized. That made the job
as director a revolving door. Once they hired a director who wanted to save the pitbulls, the director kept his job.
The supporters of pitbulls work together to save them.
Many pet owners will not take pitbulls home which means the shelters are stuck with them.
Why not just kill the dogs at the scene instead of ‘losing’ them in transport?
They endangered the public further with this mess.
“Arresting” a dog(s) that has just savaged and killed a human being is one of the MOST asinine things this country does. I agree with you that they should be killed on the scene or hunted down and killed. Do not confer with the owner. Do not interview witnesses. Just kill them. No person or organization should be allowed to harbor a dog that has killed a human being.
I don’t disagree with destroying the dogs at the scene, but the police might get some negative publicity for doing it. If the police are chasing down dogs, they can hit them with tranquilizer darts and take them in. I am afraid they
might hit the wrong dogs. A dog in its yard that appears to be loose could be in a yard with invisible fence.
The death of some menacing-looking dog that appears uncontained would be no tragedy. And the press and people who read it can get used to the idea that dogs are not sacred. If they want to protect their pets they can keep them under supervision.
I hope we will find out more about the victim and circumstances, and the dog owner will be held responsible.
This has been updated with a video, a news conference by police, and the confirmation of three pit bull-mix dogs involved. All that is known about the victim is that she was visiting from Fresno.
We’re hearing more and more about pit bull “mixes.” When a tragedy happens, pit-nuts will say things like, well that doesn’t even look like a pit bull or you can’t say for sure it’s a pit bull. Now that these mutants have breed with almost every other breed, they’ve contaminated bloodlines. Almost every mutt I see now, has pit characteristics; those dead eyes, body shape etc. So, the shelters are stuffed with pure pits AND pit mixes.
These frequent killings sound like our neighborhoods and streets are becoming war zones. Teams of police and animal control hunting down these killer as if there’s a lion on the loose. It’s a whole new dangerous world.
Teresa, yes almost every large mutt now has some pit in it and they are dangerous. The genetics seem to be very strong and dominant. I will always go with the possibility that it might have pit and avoid now. I am a dog lover but now wary of large dogs unless so obvious that a golden or I know they got a purebred lab and not a shelter lab. I am finding that not even a fan of french bulldogs, too many so called, seem bit too big and have been aggressive. Not sure if poor training, poor breeding or mixing with pit for a quick buck. I thought they were more like boston terriers but not been the case. I use to be around a lot of them, owned 3 and totally different personality, easy to own dogs
You indeed need to be careful with Frenchies today because the XL bully/bully breeders are breeding them “like wildfire” and mixing them into the pockets and more. Thanks to the XL bully/bully breeders Frenchies may never be the same.
I really did think the one yesterday looked more like one of those mutant pocket pits than a french bulldog. It was very stocky; the head was huge and twice the size of the other french bulldog they had with them. I also didn’t like the energy it was giving off when it was trying to see my dog who just sitting quietly and ignoring it. They said they had only recently got it but I also don’t feel that explains the way it seemed so detached from them. Even when my dog was still so scared and shy of me and family, she was already forming that bond.
“but I also don’t feel that explains the way it seemed so detached from them” — Low sociability. The lower the sociability, the lower the threshold to bite! https://blog.dogsbite.org/2021/03/shelter-dog-behavior-review-sue-sternberg-and-gia-savocchi.html
My wife was attacked by a French Bulldog. It repeatedly bit her feet while she was holding her tiny jack russell in her arms. Luckily, she had on heavy duty, rubber ranch boots. The French bull dog also went after the heels of horses in the pasture. The dog was straight-up nasty. Someone ran over it with a vehicle – by accident or design I do not know. It also had a group five “friends” of possibly Pocket Bully and French Bulldog that made an arc in front of my wife. Thankfully they did not engage. I’ve never thought of Frenchies the same again.
Teresa, I feel the same way, and it makes me sad. I still love dogs, but am wary of any that is not very clearly non-pit. Although my husband is in full agreement with me, he likes to tease that I “see pitbulls everywhere”… but that’s because the mixes really ARE everywhere! My in-laws recently got a shelter dog they were told was a purebred boxer, but I’m very suspicious based on its appearance (and honestly, I don’t really trust boxers anymore, either). We have three children and a baby on the way, and my husband has already told them the dog must be kenneled when we visit. I hate to be “that person”, but I just can’t take chances with my children, and as you say, “mutts” are now pretty much universally contaminated by pit genes.
The victim’s father has made a post about her: https://www.facebook.com/garry.salas.9/posts/pfbid02Mhv7W5wPrYYL5LnMAiYiDp5Q4dRDYkmwRm56HQcgLuwVXXESem55WEQuDYuz58XQl