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90-year-old woman dies after daughter’s adopted dog attacks

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – There’s still blood inside a home on Bunker Hill Lane in Pine Meadows after a dog attacked a 90-year-old woman.

Police say they got called to the home around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Medics rushed the woman to the hospital with serious injuries, but she died early Thursday morning.

The victim’s daughter, Linda, said it was a vicious and unprovoked attack. She says her mother underwent surgery, including an arm amputation, before she died around 6:30 a.m.

“I’ve never in my life seen an animal like that,” said Linda, who said it was like watching an animal kill another animal in the wild.

Linda says the pet couldn’t be stopped during the roughly five-minute rage. She says she had adopted the 1-year-old, 50-pound American pit bull terrier hours before the attack. She was in the backyard playing with the dog when she heard her mom inside yelling for help after falling in her first floor bedroom.

Linda says the back door was locked, and she used a hammer to crack the glass to get inside. Once inside, she says the dog rushed ahead, straddled the 90-year-old woman and started biting her neck and shoulders.

The dog eventually bit the woman’s legs and stomach area, according to Linda.

“He just started biting her, biting her and shaking his head,” she said.”

Linda says she hit the dog with a hammer, but he didn’t stop. The attack ended when she nudged her mom’s walker into the dog.

“I can’t believe it happened,” said Lydia Walther, a longtime neighbor. “I am still in shock.”

Linda says she adopted the dog from Forever Home Rehabilitation Center after seeing a posting on Craigslist to adopt the dog for $20.

The dog will now be quarantined for 10 days at the Virginia Beach Animal Care and Adoption Center before the center rules on a final disposition.

Linda says she wants the dog to euthanized.

24-Hour News 8’s sister station 10 On Your Side reached out to Forever Home Rehabilitation Center for comment. They released the following statement:

We send out our deepest condolences to the Patterson family who adopted Blue. Blue went through our 3 month board and train program, and was a favorite amongst all of the staff members and volunteers. Blue loved other dogs, and didn’t know a stranger. He never showed any aggression while at our facility, and passed his final evaluation with flying colors before being adopted out to the Patterson family. Trainers spent yesterday morning checking over Blue’s new home and going over training with Blue’s new owner. There were 2 other dogs in Blue’s new home, who Blue immediately bonded with. We do not know what events transpired in the moments before this tragedy occurred with Blue’s owners mother, and none of us could have ever predicted this horrible event. We are devastated for the Patterson family and our thoughts and prayers go out to them.”

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