Two Children Killed in Shelby County Dog Attack, Mother Hospitalized

Two young children died and their mother was hospitalized after the family's dogs attacked them at their home in Tennessee, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office confirmed. The incident, first reported by CNN, unfolded on the afternoon of Oct. 5, 2022, and drew immediate response from sheriff's detectives and fire paramedics.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said the victims were attacked inside a home on Sylvan Road at approximately 3:30 p.m. Detectives responded to a home near Shelby Forest State Park, just north of Memphis. Detectives identified the children as Lillie and Hollace Bennard. Their mother, Kirstie Bennard, was also injured in the attack. Both children were pronounced dead at the scene. Shelby County Fire paramedics transported the mother in critical condition to Regional One Health.

Kirstie Bennard, 30, suffered serious injuries while trying to stop the family's dogs, two pit bulls, from attacking her children, Hollace Dean Bennard, 5 months, and Lilly Jane Bennard, 2. Her condition was upgraded Thursday from critical to stable, according to the sheriff's office. The two pit bulls responsible for the attack were euthanized. Memphis Animal Services carried out the euthanizations, the sheriff's office said.

A friend of Kirstie Bennard told reporters the family had owned the dogs, named Cheech and Mia, as family pets for eight years, and there were no previous indications that the animals were dangerous or violent. It remained unclear what caused the pit bulls to become aggressive. Authorities said they were continuing to investigate, and it remained unclear whether any criminal charges would follow.

The investigation remains active. No charges had been announced as of the time of reporting. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that more than 4.5 million people in the United States are bitten by dogs each year, with more than 800,000 requiring medical attention. Half of those bitten are children, and children are the most common victims of dog bites, which tend to be more severe. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office did not release additional information on potential liability exposure or civil proceedings connected to the incident.

References

[1] CNN. (2022, October 8). Tennessee dogs attacks: Toddler and baby brother mauled to death. https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/08/us/tennessee-dogs-kill-toddler-baby/

[2] NBC News. (2022, October 8). Family dogs kill toddler and baby, injure mother in Tennessee. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/family-dogs-kill-toddler-baby-wound-mother-tennessee-rcna51148

[3] Law & Crime. (2022, October 10). Tennessee Mom in Hospital After Trying to Save Her Two Young Children from Fatal Family Dog Mauling. https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/tennessee-mom-in-hospital-after-trying-to-save-her-two-young-children-from-fatal-family-dog-mauling/

[4] CBS News. (2022, October 10). Dogs kill baby and toddler, injure mother at their home in Tennessee. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dogs-kill-baby-toddler-injure-mother-home-tennessee/