MI - Dog-mauling death ruled suicide

[AlyCain]

There is an alley behind the yard that connects to a driveway that goes all the way to 10th street. No reason for her to cut through. I don't believe for a moment that she committed suicide.

 

[Vedder]

I think this exposes the underbelly of the story pretty much - http://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/12/15/suicide-by-pit-bull-ruling-raises-a-number-of-questions/

Shady, shady, shady.

 

[atm9533]

I thought this was fishy from the beginning. I do believe this is a cover up.

 

[skinnycat]

Something is not right about this case.

Suicide by dog, just seems strange we have had those that have used animals to end their lives the young lad with the cobra is the first to come to mind, we have also had cases where someone enters a pen at the zoo with a dangerous animal, but a dog mans best friend in my opinion doesn't make sense. She could have stepped in front of a vehicle, jumped in front of a train, tumbled off a high rise, over dosed, hung herself, shot herself, peacefully fall asleep with carbon monoxide, but she decides to have 2 dogs rip her apart. I've known some people that have committed suicide they don't tend to put themselves through excruciating pain before the end, they look for quick painless ways. I've done lots of reading on suicide since it entered my life, don't remember any cases that I have read where they torture themselves, being mauled by dogs would be torture.

I feel that some of those that have went into the cages at the zoo were people that were kind of delusional just wanting to pet the polar bear, they look so cute, they didn't really want to end their lives, they just thought because it's captive it would be okay.

I just can't see a suicidal person taking the chance that the dogs may or may not kill them, cause if I'm intent on ending my life then I think I would choose a manner that I knew would end my life not might end my life or just leave me horribly scared for life

 

[AlyCain]

 

[Rayemonde]

View attachment 85815

It does look like they could easily have dragged her in if she stopped to pet them over the fence that fence is not secure at all. They could even have got out of the yard and hen dragged her in.

 

[Mollyandme]

I think this exposes the underbelly of the story pretty much - http://blogs.theprovince.com/2015/12/15/suicide-by-pit-bull-ruling-raises-a-number-of-questions/

Wow. That is disturbing. Thank you so much for sharing that link, I think it really raises a lot of red flags about the suicide ruling. Before even reading that article, I felt that this was probably not a suicide and that the manner of death was rushed by the medical examiner, now I really have suspicions as to why it was rushed. If there were no witnesses to her allegedly climbing the fence then how could they rule it suicide? especially this quickly? The only reasons I can think of were outlined in the article above. This is really sad all around and I think that a thorough investigation by another county or by the state (not sure how it works in Michigan) needs to be done. If not, is the only other option for the family to hire a lawyer, private investigator, and then hire someone else to perform a second autopsy? I can't imagine how expensive that would be.

I'm extremely concerned and angered that the ruling of suicide was made so quickly. I think there's a small possibility that it was suicide, as anything is possible, but I think an attack where she was close to the fence and dragged in is also possible, as is the possibility of "misadventure" which would not be a suicide as we have previously discussed. By finding this a suicide at this juncture, the Medical examiner, imo, jumped to a conclusion. He hasn't even gotten the tox report back yet, why not leave it open or undetermined until at the very least the tox screens come back. If the ME still isn't sure can't he just leave it as "undetermined" or something and let the district attorney decide whether they want to bring charges against anyone criminally and if they do, then let a jury decide? By criminal charges, I don't necessarily mean second degree murder, it could be some type of negligence charge depending on what the district attorney feels they could prove. This can't even happen with a suicide ruling. So I hope someone really investigates thoroughly before determining suicide.

In terms of civil law, I have a question that maybe someone knows the answer to. Could the family still file a civil suit against the dogs owners and the homeowner with the suicide ruling and have any chance of recovering any money for her young child's future?

Sorry for the long post. Again, I know it's possible it is a suicide, like many have said, similar suicides have occurred at zoos but there were multiple witnesses or surveillance in these cases. But I do realize that it's hard to rationalize why some commit suicide in certain ways, so I'm not trying to say the ME's ruling is definitely wrong, I just think there's more to the story and a thorough investigation should be done.

 

[Mollyandme]

It does look like they could easily have dragged her in if she stopped to pet them over the fence that fence is not secure at all. They could even have got out of the yard and hen dragged her in.

I agree, this is really heartbreaking. I would not find it unusual at all for someone who was comfortable and familiar with pit bulls, as she was, to stop and try to pet the dogs.

 

[Zuri]

I didn't realize there were 3 week old puppies on the premises when I made my post up thread. I was critical of the owners not socializing their dogs. I have to take that back as all bets are off where there are puppies and a mother dog present on the property, whether together or not.

I would never approach a "gladiator dog" like a pit bull, Rottweiler, German Shepherd or Doberman where puppies were involved without the responsible owner/breeder present who knew the temperament of their dog. Never. When I went to select Zuri, I looked at another litter of puppies and the mother let me know right quick I Needed to walk away. And I was with the breeder. The puppies were a month old and adorable, but still in the whelping box.

 

[AlyCain]

Wow. That is disturbing. Thank you so much for sharing that link, I think it really raises a lot of red flags about the suicide ruling. Before even reading that article, I felt that this was probably not a suicide and that the manner of death was rushed by the medical examiner, now I really have suspicions as to why it was rushed. If there were no witnesses to her allegedly climbing the fence then how could they rule it suicide? especially this quickly? The only reasons I can think of were outlined in the article above. This is really sad all around and I think that a thorough investigation by another county or by the state (not sure how it works in Michigan) needs to be done. If not, is the only other option for the family to hire a lawyer, private investigator, and then hire someone else to perform a second autopsy? I can't imagine how expensive that would be.

I'm extremely concerned and angered that the ruling of suicide was made so quickly. I think there's a small possibility that it was suicide, as anything is possible, but I think an attack where she was close to the fence and dragged in is also possible, as is the possibility of "misadventure" which would not be a suicide as we have previously discussed. By finding this a suicide at this juncture, the Medical examiner, imo, jumped to a conclusion. He hasn't even gotten the tox report back yet, why not leave it open or undetermined until at the very least the tox screens come back. If the ME still isn't sure can't he just leave it as "undetermined" or something and let the district attorney decide whether they want to bring charges against anyone criminally and if they do, then let a jury decide? By criminal charges, I don't necessarily mean second degree murder, it could be some type of negligence charge depending on what the district attorney feels they could prove. This can't even happen with a suicide ruling. So I hope someone really investigates thoroughly before determining suicide.

In terms of civil law, I have a question that maybe someone knows the answer to. Could the family still file a civil suit against the dogs owners and the homeowner with the suicide ruling and have any chance of recovering any money for her young child's future?

Sorry for the long post. Again, I know it's possible it is a suicide, like many have said, similar suicides have occurred at zoos but there were multiple witnesses or surveillance in these cases. But I do realize that it's hard to rationalize why some commit suicide in certain ways, so I'm not trying to say the ME's ruling is definitely wrong, I just think there's more to the story and a thorough investigation should be done.

:fence:

 

[AlyCain]

My sources say the landlord can be held liable, he has the homeowners insurance and in a Maryland case the court declared certain dogs to be inherently dangerous. Im sure we will see more cases where this will be tested.

 

[Zuri]

My sources say the landlord can be held liable, he has the homeowners insurance and in a Maryland case the court declared certain dogs to be inherently dangerous. Im sure we will see more cases where this will be tested.

My insurance agent said the same thing as your sources. If I had a pit bull, I would have to have a separate rider on my homeowners insurance. I did not need one for my German Shepherds however.

 

[angelainwi]

Finding out the landlord was a police officer was a huge red flag for me.

 

[bluesneakers]

http://www.examiner.com/article/mauled-woman-michigan-mom-s-death-ruled-suicide-by-dog-mauling

He also said that this was "akin to somebody jumping into a cage with tigers,"

No, it's not. No one has tigers in their backyard, for one thing, and for another no one thinks "I'll get in the yard where DOMESTICATED dogs live and that will be equivalent to jumping in with tigers."

No, no, no.

eta: Has anyone considered she jumped in there to hide from someone?

 

[Ray_of_hope]

I had read that the victim and her boyfriend had argued just prior. Is it possible that she was helped into that yard? Just my speculation. I can't imagine her going into that yard under any circumstances.

 

[AlwaysShocked]

There are certainly cases where medical examiners make a wrong call. There was a case here in Pittsburgh some years ago where a young male medical student was on his way home from college to his parent's house for the Christmas holiday. His car was full of wrapped presents in the back seat.

His body was found outside of a motel alongside the Ohio Turnpike. A gun was on the ground closeby but not really very near to his body. The local medical examiner ruled it a suicide. His parents absolutely refused to believe it was a suicide and they fought that ruling for years. I believe they finally got it changed.

As it turned out, he was murdered. Someone confessed years later.

Medical examiners have a choice of "undetermined" for manner of death. This medical examiner needs to change his ruling NOW rather than later. They are allowed to change their ruling. If her family is all saying she was not suicidal, I would think that should be taken into account. I hope some kind lawyer offers to help this family.

 

[AlyCain]

I think this case will be buried. Too much political intrigue and the victims family does not have the means to pursue it, apparently. I dont really know.

 

[PastTense]

Rebecca was killed by a pit bull:

ctivist who works with nationalpitbullvicitimawareness.org. 8:17 a.m. EST December 21, 2015
Joan Kowal

(Photo: submitted photo)

Pit bull attack victims face many hurdles. They often need multiple surgeries for years to come and they endure pain, disfiguring scars, post-traumatic stress disorder and financial hardship as medical bills pile up. Pit bull owners are often renters with no extra liability insurance and – in most areas –landlords are not liable so the victims can’t recover damages.

Compounding their stress, relationships are fractured when pit bulls attack family members. Instead of receiving the support they need to heal, they are harassed by cyberbullies who trivialize their pain.

The “Mortality, Maiming, and Mauling by Vicious Dogs” study discovered trusted family-owned pit bulls are responsible for most unprovoked fatal attacks.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/...ll-crisis-growing-victims-need-help/77568712/

 

[Mystymiss]

I don't know if this case was suicide but IMO if there is a five to six foot fence around someone's back yard and a person climbs it to pass through that yard and a dog mauls that person to death yeah I guess they can call that suicide. You entered at your own risk, you are responsible for actions. Of course it would be entirely different if the dog was roaming free in the neighborhood.

 

[AlyCain]

I don't know if this case was suicide but IMO if there is a five to six foot fence around someone's back yard and a person climbs it to pass through that yard and a dog mauls that person to death yeah I guess they can call that suicide. You entered at your own risk, you are responsible for actions. Of course it would be entirely different if the dog was roaming free in the neighborhood.

The suicide ruling imo is not only a distraction but an attempt to hide/buffer the witnesses and the landlord. US journalists won't touch this. I fear there will be no justice - the landlord will never pay one cent for this neglected property and the dangerous dogs that he had to have known were there. If you could see the fence you would note the dilapidated condition. Only half of it was wood slats of significant height. The rest was wire and part of it was bent as if someone/something had climbed over it a few times.