Warning: This story incorporates graphic content material.
Two pit bulls that mauled an Ohio grandmother to dying final 12 months have been left to roam freely regardless of their historical past of assaults, and even bought right into a stash of cocaine weeks earlier than the incident, based on a newly-filed lawsuit.
Jo Ann Echelbarger, 73, was killed by a pair of pit bulls named Apollo and Echo, which have been owned by suspects Susan and Adam Withers, on Oct. 17. The ugly incident came about at The Reserve at Ashton Village, a residential complicated in Ashville, Ohio.
In keeping with a swimsuit filed on behalf of Echelbarger’s household on Mar. 13, the decedent had solely lived on the complicated for a couple of months earlier than she was killed. The 2 pit bulls “ran across the Reserve’s frequent areas, finally attacking Jo Ann whereas she was peacefully gardening.”
“A part of Jo Ann’s hurt was the intense and extreme aware bodily and psychological ache and struggling she skilled within the moments earlier than, throughout and after being viciously attacked and previous to her dying,” the submitting described. “A part of this was caught on among the most ugly movies one may ever envision.”
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Jo Ann Echelbarger, 73, was mauled to dying by two pit bulls whereas “peacefully gardening,” based on a brand new lawsuit. (Handout / Google Maps)
The tragedy was made worse by Echelbarger’s life-long concern of canines, the lawsuit famous. The canines have been later killed by police.
“The assault and final moments of Jo Ann’s life have been notably terrifying as a result of Jo Ann feared canines since she had beforehand been bitten by a canine as a toddler,” the lawsuit said.
“Actually, the canines have been so aggressive and chronic of their menacing, violent, and aggressive conduct that the police have been compelled to shoot and kill the canines to finish the phobia,” the swimsuit described. “And even after bullets hit one of many canines, it returned to Jo Ann and continued to assault earlier than operating again into the Withers’ residence.”
In keeping with the lawsuit, the October incident was not the primary time the canines had gotten into bother. The doc lists a number of violent or disruptive incidents involving the canines – together with one Oct. 2023 incident the place Apollo attacked a resident and killed their canine.
The Withers’ canines have been reportedly ordered to go away the neighborhood in a Sept. 11 court docket order that hadn’t been enforced, the lawsuit said.
Three weeks earlier than Echelbarger’s dying, on Sept. 27, police have been referred to as to see the canines as a result of “Echo and Apollo had ingested Adam Withers’ cocaine.”
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Jo Ann Echelbarger, pictured in an undated picture together with her husband, was attacked by two pit bulls named Echo and Apollo. (Handout / Adam Withers by way of Fb)
“The physique cam footage of the incident reveals that Ashville PD referred to as the Warden’s Workplace to no avail,” the swimsuit mentioned.
In a press release to Fox Information Digital, Rex H. Elliott, the legal professional representing Echelbarger’s household, accused the residential complicated and the Pickaway County Canine Warden of neglect within the scenario.
“The actual fact is that if the Canine Warden or Rental Affiliation had carried out their jobs, Jo Ann Echelbarger could be alive as we speak and her household wouldn’t need to dwell with this profound loss or the fixed reminiscence of the horrific nature during which she was killed,” Elliott mentioned.
“These failures resulted within the dying of an exquisite 73-year-old spouse, mom and grandmother.”
Adam Withers and his mom, Susan Withers, have been each arrested over the incident. (Pickaway County Sheriff’s Workplace)
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Fox Information Digital reached out to the attorneys representing the Withers, however didn’t obtain a response in time for publication.
