Flora, IL follow up

http://www.advocatepress.com/news/x424688651/NICHOLSON-No-charges-in-fatal-dog-attack

Flora, Ill. -
At a press conference at 11:30 a.m., Friday, Flora Police Chief John Nicholson announced that there would be no criminal charges filed at this time against Brian Pennington, who was identified as the owner of an American Pit Bull Terrier that attacked and killed 85-year-old Rosie Humphreys, of 235 Austin Avenue, last Monday afternoon.
Humphreys was killed when she was walking her two poodles shortly after 2:15 p.m., Monday, in the driveway of her Flora residence.
The timeline provided by the police indicated that Humphreys left her home at about 2:16 p.m.
“Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Humphreys and her dogs were attacked by Mr. Pennington’s dog. The attack occurred at the end of her driveway and the sidewalk area,” said Nicholson. “A passerby in the roadway observed the initial attack. The pit bull was observed by this witness to be attacking the poodles, which Mrs. Humpheys was trying to protect by pulling her up to her chest area, all while kicking and striking the pit bull.”
This witness pulled over to assist Humphreys, who by this time had fallen to the ground and was being attacked by the pit bull. At that time the witness yelled for help and several people came to the scene to try to remove the dog from Humphreys.
At about 2:18 p.m., a call was placed to the Flora Police Department reporting the attack.
“The dog was eventually controlled and first aid was rendered to Mrs. Humphreys, unsuccessfully, as she was pronounced dead at the scene,” Nicholson said. “At this time the Flora Police Department secured the area as a crime scene and began an investigation.”
The investigation included the Flora Police Department, Clay County Coroner Gary Bright and the Illinois State Police, who collected evidence at the crime scene.
The results of the investigation indicated that a metal “D” ring, on the brown leather collar that the dog was wearing, failed.
“The collar was a brown leather collar of normal wear and of normal weight for this type of dog,” Nicholson said. “Mr. Pennington’s dog was estimated to weigh approximately 60 pounds.”
The results of an autopsy that was performed Tuesday at the Clay County Hospital by Dr. John Heidingsfelder showed that Humphreys died from exsanguination, or bleeding to death. The cause was determined, preliminarily, to be due to a transected carotid artery.
The death was ruled accidental.
The police have determined that the dog involved in the attack was a three-year-old, un-neutered, American Pit Bull Terrier.
“The dog had been purchased from a registered breeder at six months of age,” Nicholson said. “There is no available information that it had ever been trained by its owner, Brian Pennington to attack or fight in any manner. The dog was (the) Penningtons’ family pet.”
The police went on to say that neither they, or the Clay County Health Department Animal Control office had ever received any calls about the dog. They also did not find any evidence that the dog displayed aggression towards people or other dogs.
“The dog did not appear to be malnourished or abused and had no visible signs of mistreatment,” Nicholson said. “The dog, according to several neighbors, seemed friendly and was not habitually loose.”
The dog was apparently still chained at about 11:15 a.m., when the dogs owner witnessed him in his house’s kennel area.
Sometime by 2 p.m. The dog had gotten loose and was witnessed wandering the neighborhood. “One particular witness was working in his garage when Mr. Pennington’s dog came into the garage with him,” Nicholson said. “The witness stated the dog acted friendly and showed no signs of aggression. The dog then left the garage.”
There were no reports called in to the Flora Police or Animal Control about the dog running loose.
Shortly thereafter, Humphreys was attacked.
Nicholson reiterated that what happened Monday was a tragedy for the families involved, the neighborhood and the entire community.
“Rosie L. Humphreys … was not only a citizen of Flora, but much more to so many. After speaking to several neighbors and friends in this neighborhood, it became apparent that Rosie was everybody’s grandmother with that area,” Nicholson said. “This is exactly why this case is so tragic.”