A 15-year-old girl in Arkansas died Wednesday after a pack of dogs she was caring for attacked her, authorities said.
The Saline County Sheriff’s Office said it received a 911 call around 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday reporting that a girl had been attacked by dogs. When deputies and EMTs arrived at the scene, they found a 15-year-old who had been fatally attacked by dogs “within a secured, fenced area” on the property.
Officials said about 30 dogs were being housed on the property as part of a makeshift animal rescue.
“The victim has been previously assisting the rescue with the care of the animals and was helping to find them permanent homes,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement on social media. “The reason for the sudden and tragic attack is currently unknown.”
Officials did not name the victim but local outlet MySaline identified her as 15-year-old Makayla Fortner. The teen was remembered as a “beautiful, bright girl with the kindest soul,” according to a GoFundMe set up to assist her mother.
The sheriff’s office said the city of Benton’s animal control seized the dogs involved in the attack. The investigation remains ongoing.
Officials said Thursday that 14 of the dogs involved were euthanized, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported.
“It’s one of those horrible situations,” Matt Thibault, a spokesman for Benton, told the newspaper. “This had all the best of intentions, and it turned into the worst nightmare for everybody involved.”
Neighbors told ABC affiliate KATV that they had complained multiple times to the county about the dogs, which they said were not controlled by their owners.
“These dogs were very vicious at the fence to the point that no one wanted to let their children walk to and from the bus stop, like you had to get out here to get your 15-year-old off the bus because of these dogs… they do not look well-cared for,” Heidi Clay told the station.
Neighbors believe the girl’s death could have been prevented if the county had acted sooner.
“And if somebody had done something, then maybe this little girl would be alive,” Clay said.
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