The 31-year-old owner of two vicious dogs that attacked and killed an 8-year-old boy near DeLand had extensive drug problems.
The owner of the dogs was identified as Amanda Franco, 31.
What we know
The 8-year-old boy was out riding a bicycle with a friend a little over a month ago on a Monday and around 4:55 p.m. encountered the dogs at the entrance to the Berry Ridge subdivision where he lived at Arabesque Drive and Arborvitae Way. The child went near the mailboxes to pet the animals that were friendly at first but then brutally attacked the boy, sheriff’s deputies said.
A 911 caller said the dogs knocked the boy to the ground, pinned him down and bit and tugged at him until he was unresponsive.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the child suffered 12 devastating bites that left him with a broken neck. A pit bull and a mixed-breed dog attacked the boy. Both animals have been euthanized.
Who is Amanda Franco?
Arrest and court records show Franco, who was born in DeLand, has been living at her Airport Road home since 2014.
Animal control officers said that her property was not properly fenced, and a body cam video showed the property had a gate made of PVC pipes with large openings that were not covered. When deputies tracked the dogs to the home, they found the gate open, and Franco was not home, officials said.
Suffers from anxiety disorder
Chitwood said Franco had a significant (criminal) history that had a lot to do with drugs. Franco was on weekly drug testing, the sheriff said.
Court and Volusia County Branch Jail records show Franco has been arrested multiple times since 2014.
Her first arrest in 2015 was for battery when she was accused of beating her boyfriend for taking a video game. Deputies said they found the victim with superficial cuts and abrasions on his neck and face. Franco was not prosecuted.
In 2015, Franco was arrested in a traffic stop. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of methamphetamine, and a glass pipe for smoking the drug. Court records show Franco was referred to Stewart Marchman where rehabilitation programs are held.
In a 2016 arrest report, Franco told police she suffered from an anxiety disorder. In that year she was arrested for shooting her boyfriend in the leg with a pellet rifle for taking her personal items. She was not prosecuted on the aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charge filed by authorities.
In 2017 she tried running over another boyfriend several times with her Chevy truck in an argument over him not cleaning his side of the bedroom, an arrest report showed.
Other arrests included drug arrests in 2020 when she was stopped after multiple hit-and-run crashes around DeLand. Her history also shows at least four arrests in 2021 for drug offenses.
She was also arrested in St. Augustine for drug possession, for which court records show her supervised probation was terminated in May.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
