According to media reports, 91 year old Elsie Grace was found dead last Friday in a room at the Motel 6 in Hemet, CA. Officers say that Grace had been staying with her son, and their two 'pit bulls' in the motel. They were moving to Hemet and staying in the motel until they could find permanent residence.
Officers say the injuries are consistent with those sustained in a dog attack.
There were no witnesses to the incident, so little is known at this point about what circumstances may have led up to the incident. A representative from the local humane society notes that the dogs seem friendly and as if they were family pets.
The motel where they were staying was a Motel 6 (known for being a low-price provider) in a very tough part of town. The 92543 area code has a poverty rate of 41% -- with nearly 30% of the population living at at income of less than 50% of the poverty rate. These are VERY high numbers. So the living condition of two adults, and 2 dogs, in a small motel room in a tough neighborhood may have well played a role.
There are certainly a lot of things that could have led up to this incident, but at this point, they'd all be somewhat speculation. If more information comes out following the autopsy then I will most definitely put the information out there.
My heart goes out to the family -- this sounds like a really horrible, and likely preventable, tragedy.
My heart goes out to the family - they have lost a mother and now their two dogs. Perhaps the autopsy report will shed some light on what happened? Because I'm not relying on a cop's opinion of anything medical, dog bites included.
Posted by: Jenn | February 13, 2013 at 04:48 PM
I live in the same county. This city is definately impoverished. The local paper, Press Enterprise, stated that she may have been mauled afterwards and some locals have stated that she was not in the best health. I hope that the autopsy sheds light on what happened as well. The radio blasted the usual pitbull drama and added incidents from San Diego. My heart goes out the family...and those of us who are against BSL.
Posted by: TLC | February 18, 2013 at 07:27 PM
The victim was a locally well-known artist.
One news report suggests that she might have been dead before the dogs touched her.
http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/hemet/hemet-headlines-index/20130211-hemet-woman-91-killed-by-pit-bulls-police-say.ece
Posted by: H. Houlahan | February 19, 2013 at 09:14 AM
I have little doubt that she was not in the best of health. The elderly who are in poor health are more succeptible to this type of thing. H -- the quote in that news report seemed highly speculative, which is why I left it out. But agree that I hope we learn more once the autopsy is complete.
Posted by: Brent | February 19, 2013 at 10:53 AM