New Delhi:
The family of an elderly woman from the US, who was attacked and battered to death by her neighbour’s Pitbull dogs in October last year, has filed a lawsuit against the owners of the dogs, the Pickaway County dog warden, and the condominium association.
In the lawsuit, the family claimed that the dogs were reportedly under the influence of cocaine, stated the New York Post.
The lawsuit stated that Ohio-based JoAnn Echelbarger was “peacefully gardening” when the dogs, Apollo and Echo, attacked her. The dogs were running loose in the communal areas of the Ashton condominium.
The Columbus Dispatch stated, citing pathology studies, that the dogs had cocaine in their systems at the time of the occurrence. Soon after the attack, authorities shot and killed the Pitfalls.
Ms Echelbarger’s husband Stanley, who has dementia and uses a wheelchair, was unable to assist her. She eventually died during treatment for wounds. Stanley reportedly watched helplessly as his wife was clawed for a long time while “screaming for her life”.
The owners of the dogs, Adam Withers and his mother Susan Withers, were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in February in relation to Ms Echelbarger’s death.
Several weeks before Ms Echelbarger’s mauling, a judge ordered the Withers to remove the dogs following a string of complaints and directives from the homeowners’ association, NBC4 reported.
The Withers’ son and mother duo reportedly disregarded a directive to remove the Pitbulls from the condominium, but they were, anyway, permitted to reside there. The lawsuit further claimed that Adam Withers made fun of building management, referencing social media posts that stated that “humans are the problem.”
Ms Echelbarger’s family alleged that the owners, the county dog warden, and their mother’s condominium association were negligent and did nothing to address several warning signs regarding the Withers and their dogs’ behaviour.
The lawsuit alleged that police body camera evidence showed officers reacting to claims that Echo and Apollo consumed cocaine from Adam Withers just weeks before the fatal incident.
The lawsuit claimed that the canines, who were at the time on the loose at the apartment complex, were high under the influence of drugs. The dog warden allegedly did nothing to help when the canines were taken home.
People reported that the wrongful death lawsuit seeks punitive damages that would be determined at trial along with compensatory damages exceeding $25,000.
Ms Echelbarger’s son Bill Rogers said the government response that day was “reckless.” He added, “I feel like they were gambling with a lot of people’s lives that day. And she was the one who paid the price.”
“She did not deserve this,” Ms Echelbarger’s daughter Earlene told the publication. “She was tortured and she suffered. This is not what you expect to happen to anyone you love,” Earlene added.