A 30-year-old woman was discovered dead in the backyard of a San Diego County residence on November 11, and police suspect the cause of death may have been a vicious dog attack. Police noted the woman had numerous dog bite injuries on her body, and they had to call animal control to secure eight large dogs running loose in the backyard of the property.
Police are in the process of conducting an autopsy to confirm the cause of death, but do not suspect foul play. The woman was apparently house-sitting for the owner of the residence at the time of her death. A relative of the woman who discovered her body immediately called the police.
The dogs were identified as Old English bulldogs, and all eight were found in the backyard running freely, some with injuries. Police do not have much to go on, but think the injured dogs may signify an escalated dog fight as the cause of the woman’s death.
Dog bites are an all-too-common occurrence in and around San Diego, and many pet owners don’t take enough caution to control a potentially violent pet from harming another person or animal. In this case it is unclear if the woman had accepted responsibility for caring for the dogs as part of the house-sitting responsibilities, or if she had even been warned of their potential dangerous propensities. Sadly though, her stay at the residence ended in her tragic and violent death.
Victims of dog bites can suffer serious injuries or even death, as evidence in this recent case. When this type of incident occurs, the victim’s family may be able to obtain damages for the wrongful death of this young woman.
Source: Los Angeles Times, “Authorities probe whether woman was mauled to death by dogs Robert J. Lopez, Nov. 12, 2012
