At a Glance
- Case Type
- Criminal Indictment
- Parties
- People of Colorado v. Kayla Sue Mooney; People of Colorado v. Victor Shane Bentley
- Jurisdiction
- Jefferson County, Colorado
- Date
- 2022-09-14
- Status
- Charged
Body:
An 89-year-old woman died after she and her 12-year-old grandson were attacked by two pit bulls at a home west of Denver, according to Golden police and family members. NBC News reported the attack on Sept. 20, 2022 [1]. The attack occurred at a residence on West 1st Avenue in Golden, Colorado, around 3:35 p.m. on Sept. 14. [2] Police said in a Monday update that family members confirmed on Sunday that the woman had succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack. [1] The boy, who was seriously injured, had been released from the hospital and was recovering. [1]
Officers called to the scene found blood leading into the home and went immediately to the backyard, where the dogs were mauling the woman. They deployed stun guns and less-lethal shotguns but could not separate the dogs from the victim until additional officers arrived. [1] The boy escaped the attack, sought refuge at a neighbor's home, and was ultimately airlifted to a children's hospital, while his grandmother was hospitalized with critical injuries. [3] The woman lost her left arm and left eye, was rushed into surgery, and was taken off life support three days after the attack. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office determined the cause of death was "cardiopulmonary arrest" due to "complications of extensive bite injuries" and "dog attack," and listed her death as accidental. [4]
Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King filed multiple charges of unlawful ownership of a dangerous dog against Kayla Mooney and Victor Bentley in district court. [5] Golden police arrested Mooney, 33, the boy's mother, on four misdemeanor counts of unlawful ownership of a dangerous dog, according to District Attorney King. [4] Victor Shane Bentley, 29, described in the affidavit as Mooney's boyfriend, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of unlawful ownership of a dangerous dog. [4] Mooney owned one of the dogs at the time of the attack, and Bentley owned the other. Mooney was charged for both dogs because they were physically kept at her house, per the case affidavit. Bentley lives elsewhere. [5]
The city of Golden does not maintain a breed ban on pit bull terriers, and all dog owners are required to register their pets and keep them current on vaccinations. [2] The dogs had no prior history of complaints, police said. [4] Mooney and Bentley were due in court Nov. 22 for an advisement of charges. [4] Both dogs were euthanized following the attack [1][2].
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References
[1] NBC News. (2022, September 20). Woman, 89, dies after pit bull attack at Denver-area home. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-89-dies-pit-bull-attack-denver-area-home-rcna48476
[2] KDVR / FOX31 Denver. (2022, September 19). Golden Dog Attack: 89-year-old woman dies after pit bull attack. https://kdvr.com/news/local/woman-dies-after-pit-bull-attack/
[3] The Seattle Times / Associated Press. (2022, September 19). Elderly woman dies after pit bull attack at Denver-area home. https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/elderly-woman-dies-after-pit-bull-attack-at-denver-area-home/
[4] Denver Gazette. (2022, October 24). Golden grandmother gave life defending family against pit bull attack. https://denvergazette.com/life/golden-grandmother-gave-life-defending-family-against-pit-bull-attack/article_909ec33a-53db-11ed-8e4d-63a7b6925606.html
[5] Colorado Public Radio. (2022, October 25). Charges filed against owners of pit bulls that attacked and killed Golden resident. https://www.cpr.org/2022/10/25/charges-filed-against-owners-of-pit-bulls-that-attacked-and-killed-golden-resident/