71-year-old woman killed in suspected dog attack in Miami Gardens, police say
A 71-year-old woman was killed in a suspected dog attack early Monday morning in Miami Gardens, according to police.
The dog attack left a family grieving and neighbors shaken as authorities searched the area for the animals involved.
Family members identified the victim as Doreen Richards. Her daughter said she was walking to work in the area of Northwest 196th Street and 14th Court, when she was attacked by more than one dog.
"She's always walking to work like she always does," her daughter said. "They're always attacking her. She even [carried] a stick."
Police said Richards was found behind Norwood Elementary with multiple dog bites. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue pronounced her dead at the scene.
Witness accounts
Viviana Vargas, who was staying at an Airbnb nearby, said she heard dogs barking early in the morning and thought they were fighting.
"What I heard was dogs, and we thought it was a fight," Vargas said. "There was a special sound that said some dog is dying, but I never imagined it was a person."
She said it was an unusual noise and never imagined a person was involved.
Other neighbors also expressed concern. "It's very concerning," one resident said. "Not just for me, but we have a school right here and kids."
Investigation continues
Miami Gardens police and animal control officers could be seen canvassing the neighborhood, searching for the dogs. Hermesteen, whose nephew owns two dogs, said investigators swabbed them as part of the case.
"They came because they're checking all the dogs that [fit] the description — supposedly pit, but it's not really fully pit — and they wanna swab their DNA," Hermesteen said.
Authorities said the dogs involved and their owner have not yet been located. The investigation is ongoing.
Community reaction
Neighbors described the attack as horrifying. "Terrible, it's a terrible thing to happen," Kim Gibson said. "I don't know her. I don't know who she is, but it's an awful thing to get mauled by a dog."
Richards' family and the community remain heartbroken and concerned, knowing the dogs are still on the loose.