An elderly Tennessee woman was mauled to death by a pack of six German Shepherds, and authorities are considering criminal charges against the dogs’ owner, according to reports.
At 88 years old, Jill Peterson was unable to defend herself when she was viciously attacked by the dogs on Tuesday, Feb. 26. She was out behind her own home clearing out a drainage ditch when the dogs appeared, reported News Channel 5.
“They dragged her down the yard and all her clothes were off, her shoes, everything,” Nina Brown, Peterson’s sister, told News Channel 5. “They tore all of her hair out, the casket can’t be open, it’s like a nightmare. It’s hard to believe.”
This story was incredibly sad to write and it breaks my heart it happened. https://t.co/DIlTDBFRMI
— Chris Conte (@chrisconte) February 28, 2019
Brown said when she tried to save Peterson, she only drew the attention of the dogs to herself.
“Three of the dogs came after me,” she told the news outlet. “They started after me and I had to call 911.”
Peterson’s injuries were so severe that she was later airlifted to Vanderbilt Medical Center. She died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
“Those dogs took my sister’s life, it will be with me the rest of my life,” Brown said.
What makes the pain greater, she added, was that authorities had been warned about the dogs several times already.
A funeral is scheduled for Saturday for an elderly woman mauled to death by a neighbor’s dogs in Tennessee. https://t.co/E1sdeXdyxO
— WBTV News (@WBTV_News) March 1, 2019
“The law has been out here several times,” Brown told WTVF.
District Attorney Bryant Dunaway told WTVF that homicide charges are being considered against the dogs’ owner.
“Well, this is a very sad situation and takes you back when you think about the facts,” he said. “Possibilities of a homicide are likened to criminal negligent homicide could be where we land.”
“Whatever she (the owner) gets won’t be enough,” Brown told Channel News 5. “I’m sorry but that’s the way I feel. She knew the dogs were dangerous and didn’t do nothing about it.”
All of the dogs have been put down following the attack and are being examined by a vet.
A Similar Attack
The next day, another 88-year-old woman was also mauled to death by six dogs, reported KCBD. This time, the attack happened in Lubbock, Texas.
Family members believe the pack of dogs were trying to get to 88-year-old Johnnie Mae Garner’s female dog in her backyard. Garner reportedly tried to scare off the dogs, and that’s when she was attacked.
Police release photos of the dogs involved in the fatal attack of 88-year-old Johnnie Mae Garner https://t.co/Q2KMli8R7W
— KCBD NewsChannel11 (@KCBD11) February 28, 2019
According to the police report obtained by KCBD, the owner of the dogs was told by a neighbor that his dogs were loose and running around.
When he went to the alley to find his dogs, he heard Garner screaming for help, and saw his dogs attacking her. He jumped the fence into the yard to help.
The dogs began to charge him but then stopped short before getting him. The dogs then ran out of the yard and he called 911.
The owner of the dogs, who has not been identified, flagged down the police to show them where Garner was. Police said Garner was taken to Covenant Health where she later died.
When the man returned to his home, his dogs were back in his yard, reported KCBD.
All six of his dogs have been put down and are being sent to the state to get tested for rabies. Police said the owner gave permission for his dogs to be taken and put down.
Garner’s son, John Girdy, said, “My mother was one of the greatest mothers of all time, I’ll put it that way.”
“She’s a mother and granny to all these people around here, as you can see,” he added. “The whole neighborhood knows her. I mean, they love her, everybody loves and her and when you’d come visit her she makes you happy and you’re going to leave happy.”