Elderly woman mauled to death by own pit bull, husband and cops injured in attack: 'The heart and soul of our family is gone'



An elderly Massachusetts woman was mauled to death by her own dog, according to investigators. The Boston woman's husband and two police officers also were injured in the dog attack.

Jeriline Brady-McGinnis — a 73-year-old from Roxbury — was attacked by her own pit bull in her home around 4:30 p.m. Monday.

'She’s very close to her animals, almost like children ...'

Investigators said the dog also attacked the victim's husband as he tried to save her, plus two Boston police officers responding to the pit bull attack. All four were rushed to a local hospital. However, Brady-McGinnis allegedly died in surgery.

WFXT-TV reported that a pit bull named Deuce mauled Brady-McGinnis to death. The officers and the husband suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

Once the officers were attacked, another cop shot at the pit bull, according to WFXT. The outlet obtained surveillance video allegedly showing three shots being fired when police arrived on the scene.

The dog was transported to Angell Animal Medical Center for treatment. But due to "his worsening condition and poor prognosis," officials decided to euthanize the dog, according to Boston Animal Control.

Brady-McGinnis allegedly owned four dogs. The three other dogs reportedly were removed from the home. Neighbors told WBZ-TV they were scared of the dogs. WBZ-TV spoke to Jean McGuire — the landlord and close friend of Brady-McGinnis.

"She’s very close to her animals, almost like children, I think,” McGuire said. "She took good care of them. She walked them every day."

McGuire — a 93-year-old civil rights pioneer and the first black woman elected to the Boston School Committee — said Brady-McGinnis was like a "sister" to her.

“She’s a wonderful person. A very generous, a very loving person. Loved animals,” McGuire said of McGinnis. “I’ve lost my sister. She’s a sister.”

The family of Brady-McGinnis remembered the elderly victim as having a "heart of gold."

Brady-McGinnis' three children — Chris, Ronald, and Donald — told WBZ, "Our mother was a loving and caring mother. She put her children first. … The heart and soul of our family is gone."

The family said Brady-McGinnis cooked dinner for her dogs every night.

The Boston Police Department's Homicide Unit reportedly is investigating the dog attack.

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Woman allegedly sicced 103-pound rottweiler on 9-year-old girl who then died; prosecutors want death penalty for suspect



A Florida woman allegedly sicced a 103-pound Rottweiler on her boyfriend's 9-year-old daughter. The vicious dog attack was fatal. Now, prosecutors are calling for the death penalty against the suspect.

Tyshael Elise Martin, 34, was arrested in August in connection with the death of the girl, Jamaria Sessions. Martin was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and child neglect, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

'I’m fixing to kill her.'

The young girl was found dead June 17 at a home in Montverde — about 25 miles west of Orlando.

Shortly before 5 a.m., officials answered a call regarding an unresponsive child and found Jamaria naked with “a significant number of abrasions, small punctures, burns, possible bite marks, and bruising covering her body, all in various stages of healing,” according to the probable cause arrest affidavit.

According to the sheriff's office, the girl's injuries were “consistent with physical abuse.”

The girl had suffered "superficial lacerations indicative of being pinched with significant force, her face was swollen, some of her teeth were broken, she had blood in her left ear along with a penetration wound behind her ear, and contusions all over her body," the affidavit stated.

The document also said "the medical examiner noted the number of superficial injuries covering the majority of her body, and advised it appeared to be torture inflicted by fingernails and injuries consistent with being struck by something, possibly wire."

Sheriff's detectives obtained more than 2,800 surveillance videos from inside and outside the home. Six videos from the night of June 15 show a large dog attacking the girl.

The affidavit stated, “Jamaria Sessions being viciously attacked by the family pet, a 103-pound male Rottweiler as Jamaria was just out of frame, however, Tyshael Martin could be seen holding the leash of the dog and is heard encouraging the dog to bite Jamaria Sessions as Jamaria laid on the floor, ending with Jamaria Sessions attempting to stand up in the doorway coming into frame."

Authorities said the video shows the dog biting Jamaria's head "at the command of Tyshael Martin."

Martin allegedly ordered the "staggering, nude, and disheveled" Sessions to stand in the room with her arms up.

"This prompted Tyshael Martin to deliver a kick to the rear of the child causing her to collapse to the floor," according to the arrest affidavit. "The child lay motionless, moaning in pain, as Tyshael Martin continued to kick her hip and eventually her stomach area at full force."

Martin reportedly grabbed Sessions by her hair and dragged her across the floor and continued to command Jamaria to stand up, but the girl "physically could not comply."

The affidavit said, "The next video clip begins with Tyshael Martin stating what sounds like, ‘I’m fixing to kill her.’”

Sheriff's detectives said the girl had previously been hit with objects, kicked, punched, and pinched.

According to Law & Crime, state attorneys in Florida’s Fifth Judicial Circuit filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Tyshael Martin.

Jamaria’s father – 27-year-old LoJuan Sessions – also was arrested in August and has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child.

Martin and Sessions are both in Lake County Jail without bond

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Adult babysitter charged after her pit bulls mauled 1-year-old to death; her teen girl hailed as hero for trying to save baby



A 1-year-old boy was mauled to death by pit bulls belonging to the child's babysitter, who left the infant alone with the aggressive dogs and her 13-year-old daughter. The babysitter is now facing multiple felonies for the baby's tragic death.

Heather Rodriguez — a 36-year-old family friend — was trusted to babysit 1-year-old Jiryiah Johnson on Monday morning. However, Rodriguez reportedly got called into work and left the baby alone with her 13-year-old daughter and three pit bulls at her home in San Antonio, Texas.

'In a house full of vicious dogs, what did this lady, this suspect, think was going to happen?'

The 13-year-old and baby were inside a bedroom in the house. However, the dogs damaged the door and forced their way into the bedroom.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar described the teen daughter as a "hero" for trying to save the baby from the dogs.

"I read the report in detail, and it's pretty heartbreaking. She made every effort possible, even lifting that baby up over her head, but my understanding is the dog actually climbed onto something and was able to get the baby out of her hands and tear the baby out of her hands," Salazar said of the 13-year-old girl.

“The little girl, the 13-year-old, was able to maintain control of the baby, but at this point — in what’s being described to be as it was almost a tug-of-war for the baby between at least one of the dogs and the little girl,” Salazar said at a press conference.

"This little girl was put in a situation where she went from that bedroom to a bathroom to another bedroom and was chased every step of the way by these dogs who were continuing to bite her as well," Salazar added.

The girl barricaded herself and the infant into another bedroom where she was able to call for help.

"I'm considering her a hero," Salazar said of the girl.

"This little girl sustained injuries herself," Salazar said. "I believe she’s going to have some lasting psychological effects as a result of it."

Erika Castro — Jiryiah's mother — said, “I thank that girl because ... she did her best.”

Deputies with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office weren't able to reach the children immediately once they arrived at the scene.

"It wasn't until the owner of the dogs, the suspect, actually made it home and was able to get the dogs outside to allow the deputies to come in and, you know, start administering first aid to the baby," Salazar said.

The baby boy suffered significant injuries to his head and throat from the dog attack.

Paramedics rushed the boy to the University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead later Monday.

KENS-TV reported there were blood stains on a bed, a door, and the floors.

Salazar blasted the babysitter, "In a house full of vicious dogs, what did this lady, this suspect, think was going to happen?"

The sheriff added, “If you have a dog like that, that you know is vicious, you know is a problem, for one thing, don’t ever bring babies into the house, especially someone else’s baby.”

Salazar stated that Rodriguez “seemed more concerned with what was going on with those dogs” than taking responsibility for her actions that led to the death of a 1-year-old.

'You left my son with a 13-year-old girl. It’s pure and utter belligerence. It’s infuriating that that’s allowed. That she made that choice.'

Salazar noted that Rodriguez had been cited in April for allowing her dogs to run unleashed and forcing a man to flee to his car since he was fearful he would have been attacked.

"I'm furious at the fact that that she knew these dogs were problematic," Salazar declared. "Not only was she exposing her own child to this, to these unpredictable animals that had already caused damage; they were already dangerous, in my opinion. But not only that, she decided to bring a baby into that residence for the sheer profit."

Salazar said he is "disgusted by the whole thing."

Rodriguez initially was charged with causing serious bodily injury to the child with intent — a first-degree felony. Rodriquez subsequently was hit with two more felonies: injury to a child — reckless bodily injury — as well as endangering a child, imminent danger — causing bodily injury.

Salazar was asked why the charges were not upgraded to murder, and he noted that both charges have the same penalty range as murder — between five to 99 years or life in prison with the possibility of a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.

Rodriguez's bond was set at $100,000.

Salazar is calling for the dogs involved in the fatal attack to be euthanized but acknowledged that's animal control's decision.

The sheriff said of the pit bulls, "My understanding is that only one at present has been fully surrendered. The other two were turned over to animal control, but I spoke to our director of public health this morning, and we're going to be pushing, they'll be pushing, and of course we'll be in a support role to see if we can go ahead and get all three dogs fully surrendered."

Salazar stated that if the dogs are not voluntarily surrendered that the Bexar County Sheriff's Office would use the court process to fully seize the other two pit bulls.

The grieving mother said, “I’ve been shaking, I’ve been having panic attacks.”

The boy's father — Julian Johnson — slammed the babysitter for abandoning his son.

“You left my son with a 13-year-old girl," Johnson stated. "It’s pure and utter belligerence. It’s infuriating that that’s allowed. That she made that choice.”

A GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the family pay for medical bills and funeral costs.

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18-month-old girl dies after getting mauled by dog inside New Jersey home, police say



New Jersey police said that a toddler was lethally mauled by a dog while in the care of a teenager at a Newark residence Tuesday evening.

'The distraught family asked for privacy.'

Police said the girl had wandered away from the babysitter and encountered one of their four dogs, a pit bull, at the home on Second Ave.

The child was transported to University Hospital after the mauling with critical injuries. She was later declared dead at about 7 p.m. according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

The four dogs were removed from the home, and police are trying to determine whether only one dog attacked the child or whether any of the other dogs were involved. They were placed into quarantine with Newark Animal Control.

"The investigation is continuing, and the official cause and manner of death will be determined by an autopsy," said Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly.

The distraught family asked for privacy as they deal with the tragic incident.

"I seen that amount of police, I really got worried because it was a lot of commotion going on," said a neighbor to WCBS-TV. "I couldn't do anything about it because I couldn't see."

Video of the residence could be seen in a news report from WABC-TV on YouTube.

Pit bulls account for more dog bites in the U.S. than any other breed, according to the American Animal Hospital Association. They also account for more lethal dog attacks than any other breed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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6-week-old 'angel in heaven' mauled to death in crib by family dog, grieving mom grateful her baby will help other boys and girls



A 6-week-old baby was mauled to death by the family's dog in Tennessee. The grieving mother of the mauled baby remarked that the one thing that she is grateful for in the heartbreaking tragedy is that her deceased son will be able to help other little boys and girls.

Just six weeks after Ezra Mansoor was born, he was involved in a dog attack at his home in Knoxville, Tennessee.

While Ezra was taking a nap in his crib, the family's dog attacked the newborn baby out of nowhere.

Ezra died on Thursday afternoon – six days after fighting for life with brain swelling and bleeding inside his skull from the animal attack.

The parents are bewildered by the deadly dog attack since the dog had never shown any signs of aggression in the past.

You can never be too careful, no matter how big or small the dog

Mark Mansoor, the 28-year-old father, had the husky dog since he was a teenager.

The heartbroken mother, 25-year-old Chloe Mansoor, told WBIR-TV, "You just think it would never happen to you. But it can happen to anyone, with any dog breed, no matter how long you've had the dog."

She added, "I think you can never be too careful, no matter how big or small the dog, or how long you've had them or how good they've previously been with kids. You can never be too careful."

The family decided to donate Ezra's organs to help other babies in need.

"He's just going to get to bring families the most amazing news they've ever gotten and I'm so grateful that he will get to live on through so many other little boys and little girls," Chloe said.

"He will always be remembered as a hero on Earth and an angel in heaven," Mark said of Ezra.

The family dog responsible for the deadly attack was taken to the Young-Williams Animal Center.

The animal center said in a statement: "Young-Williams Animal Center is holding an adult dog following an incident in which an infant was reported to have been injured in Knoxville on May 24, 2024. The dog is under a 10-day bite quarantine as required by state law."

The Knox County Sheriff's Office is still investigating this case.

"Being his mom was the biggest honor and the best thing I've ever done," Chloe said. "I didn't realize until this happened, just how supported we are and just how many people he had that loved him already."

The grief-stricken mom added, "All the sleepless nights and the dirty diapers — looking back, I would take a million sleepless nights and dirty diapers and all the fussiness, you would take it all back in a second and never take any moment or second for granted."

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6-week-old boy dead after family dog attacked him in the crib, family says www.youtube.com

Mom-of-three mauled to death days before Mother's Day, her children survive vicious dog attack thanks to 'angel'



A mother-of-three was mauled to death by a pack of "aggressive" dogs in Georgia. The dog attack that happened just days before Mother's Day also left her children injured, one child suffered severe wounds from the tragic incident. The children survived the vicious animal attack thanks to the intervention by an "angel."

A mother and her children were mauled by a pack of dogs on Thursday in Quitman, Georgia. The family was reportedly at a bus stop around 4:45 p.m. when the animal attack occurred.

Deputies with the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office responded to a complaint of multiple minors being attacked by dogs.

When officers arrived, they encountered "several aggressive dogs on the property," according to a statement released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Courtney Williams, 35, was found dead by deputies in a nearby yard.

One of the children allegedly flagged down a man driving by the dog attack.

The good Samaritan "helped fight the dogs off and manage to get the kids in his truck," Williams’ sister-in-law Crystal Cox wrote in a Facebook post that included graphic photos of the horrific injuries that one of the children endured.

The man rushed the children to a local hospital.

Cox said the unknown man was a "blessing" and an "angel" to her family.

"Without him, I don't know what the outcome would have been," she wrote.

Cox said that the two children are "fine," but "shook up and still processing things."

A neighbor told WALB-TV, "I do feel for the family and for the kids because now they are going to have to celebrate Mother’s Day without their mother."

Another neighbor told the news outlet that they have been complaining about the lack of animal control for a while.

"People dump dogs all over the county and no one can get help with them because there’s no county animal control. Praying for this woman’s family. This is so sad," the resident said.

Authorities did not identify the breed of dog involved in the attack.

The investigation is ongoing, and an autopsy will be performed by the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office to determine Williams' cause of death.

Anyone with information on the deadly dog attack is asked to contact the GBI Investigative Office in Thomasville at 229-225-4090. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).

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South Carolina boy viciously mauled by pack of dogs near school bus stop, bit 60 times: 'Ate all the muscle out of his leg'



A South Carolina boy was viciously mauled by a pack of dogs while he was walking to a school bus stop.

An 11-year-old boy was walking to a school bus stop around 7:40 a.m. on Wednesday in Clinton, South Carolina. Suddenly, a pack of four dogs mauled the boy.

Local resident Natasha Mims said she witnessed the boy being attacked by the dogs. Despite being afraid of dogs and dealing with a rotator cuff injury, Mims told WYFF she did everything to stop the dogs from mauling the boy.

Mims said the dogs were "literally eating him."

The boy, identified as A'Rhyan Anderson, was bit roughly 60 times, according to the boy's mother – Amy Lowe.

Clinton Police said the boy was severely injured and flown to Greenville Memorial Hospital, where the boy underwent emergency surgery.

Anderson is now in stable condition. The mother said her son will require physical therapy to recover from the animal attack.

Lowe told WGHP, "He has a long road of recovery. He was bitten over 60 times. There’s no muscle. They ate all the muscle out of his left leg."

Mims added, "The dogs really looked like they had eaten him alive. At this point, I didn’t know whether he was dead or alive. I saw nothing but bones. I saw that he was eaten up really bad."

Mims explained, "You know, like the meat is gone, and that's what they were eating on when I pulled up, eating on his flesh or whatever, and so I asked him to turn over to look at me, and he said, 'I can't move.'"

Lowe said, "It’s traumatizing. I’m traumatized. I’m sure my son is traumatized."

Once police arrived at the brutal scene, officers shot two of the dogs. The other two dogs escaped. The animals were described as large, black-colored mixed-breed dogs.

Lowe declared, "I want the dogs put down. I want the owners of the dogs held responsible. They’re going to be held accountable. I want justice for my son."

Clinton Police said they have yet to locate the owner of the savage dogs.

Law enforcement is asking anyone with information regarding the dogs to contact animal control or police.

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11-year-old mauled by dogs while walking to Clinton bus stop www.youtube.com

Backyard bloodbath: California pit bull breeder savagely mauled to death by his own dogs



A California pit bull breeder was brutally mauled to death by the very dogs he cared for in his own backyard.

The slain man's girlfriend made a gruesome discovery on Friday morning when she found her boyfriend's mutilated body lying in a kennel area. The Compton Fire Department, along with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, responded to the backyard bloodbath around 8 a.m. after the woman called 911.

Aerial footage shows a woman carefully scaling a fence in an attempt to exit the backyard of the Compton home teeming with pit bulls.

Investigators say a surveillance camera caught the fatal mauling on video, which occurred between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday.

“He was feeding the dogs, at which point maybe there was an altercation between some of the dogs, and [they] ultimately attacked and mauled the victim," said Michael Gomez with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau.

The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control said authorities were cautious when rounding up the 13 pit bulls – five adult dogs and eight puppies.

Animal control officials will determine if any of the deadly pit bulls need to be euthanized.

"Preliminary information suggests that the deceased individual was involved in breeding and selling pit bulls,” animal control officials said in a statement.

The father of the deceased dog owner is "cooperating and has consented to signing over the dogs" to the Department of Animal Care and Control.

Department of Animal Care and Control director Marcia Mayeda said, "Our deepest sympathies are extended to the family and friends of the victim. We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to determine the facts and ensure the safety and well-being of both the community and the animals involved."

Damian Wesley with the Compton Animal Rescue told KTLA, "It sucks that it brings awareness from a death. I hope that awareness is spread… that people need to take great care of their dogs. People need to understand that these dogs can kill somebody and hurt people."

The identity of the 35-year-old victim has yet to be released by authorities.

The investigation is still ongoing, according to authorities.

(WARNING: Graphic Content)

Compton pit bull breeder mauled to death by his own dogs www.youtube.com

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Iowa mother loses legs, needs facial reconstructive surgery after attack by 3 pit bulls, officer shoots dogs dead



A mother in Iowa has lost both of her legs and will require facial reconstructive surgery after being mauled by three pit bulls.

Around 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 24, three pit bulls attacked Brittany Skoland at her home in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Neighbor reportedly heard "someone yelling for help," and called the police.

When a police officer arrived, he saw Brittany Skoland being mauled by the three pit bulls.

"The officer attempted to scare the dogs away to stop them from attacking the woman, but the dogs would not stop," read the statement from the Fort Dodge Police Department. "The officer on scene then drew his duty weapon and shot all three dogs multiple times to stop the attack."

A local resident told KCCI that it took several rounds to subdue the animals.

“I was sitting in my living room, and I was just sitting there and all of a sudden I heard bang bang bang, and I come to the door and I seen all the cops, well there was only one at the time, and I seen the lady laying on the ground and the dogs going at her and the cops shot them. And it was quite a few rounds of ammunition to get them down,” Rosemary Possehn told the news outlet.

The officer shot all three pit bulls dead.

However, Skoland had already suffered serious injuries from the pit bull attack.

Skoland was transported to nearby Unity Point Trinity Regional Medical Center, and later flown to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

A GoFundMe campaign was launched to assist the Iowa mother with medical bills.

Skoland's aunt, Teresa Hanus, wrote in the fundraising description: "As of 12/2 Brittany has lost a lot more than we originally thought. She's had many surgeries and procedures in the last few days. She has had both legs amputated to her knees."

The aunt noted that her niece suffered serious head trauma and will need facial reconstruction surgery.

Because of the vicious dog attack that took Skoland's legs, her home will need special accommodations for when she returns home and is bound to a wheelchair.

The owner of the pit bulls was reportedly not cooperative when questioned by a local television news channel.

KCCI attempted to speak to the owner of the dogs, but he allegedly "yelled obscenities and told KCCI to go away before walking into his home."

The dog owner has reportedly not been charged with any crimes as of yet.

Law enforcement is still investigating the brutal pit bull attack.

As of Sunday afternoon, the GoFundMe had raised over $16,000.

Anyone with information on the animal attack is urged to contact the Fort Dodge Police.

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2 dog owners arrested after pit bulls maul South Carolina man to death



Two South Carolina dog owners have been arrested after a man was mauled to death by two pit bulls.

Shannan Christine McCrackin, 45, and Kenneth Howard Swayne, 44, were booked into the Berkeley County jail on Nov. 1. Both were being held at the Berkeley County Detention Center.

McCrackin was charged with involuntary manslaughter and two counts of dangerous animals unconfined on premises. McCrackin had a $25,000 bond.

Swayne was charged with two counts of dangerous animals unconfined on premises. Swayne has a bond of $10,000.

Around 5 p.m. last Tuesday, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a dog attack in Moncks Corner, South Carolina.

According to law enforcement, a 65-year-old man was mauled to death and pronounced dead at the scene. He was later identified as David Eller.

The Post and Courier reported, "David Eller, 65, was walking through his neighborhood in the Pleasant Oaks Mobile Home Park off Old Whitesville Road when two pit bull dogs fatally attacked him, Berkeley County Coroner Darnell Hartwell said Nov. 1."

The ma was pronounced dead on the scene.

"This was a vicious attack on an unsuspecting victim, and this should have never occurred," Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis told the Berkeley Observer. "If the owner of the dogs would have taken the proper responsibility for the safekeeping of the animals, the attack could have been prevented."

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Suspects arrested after fatal dog attack in Moncks Corner www.youtube.com