A tragic incident in Ohio has left a family in mourning after 73-year-old JoAnn Echelbarger was fatally mauled by two pit bulls that had ingested cocaine. The brutal attack took place as she tended to her garden, while her husband, who suffers from dementia and is confined to a wheelchair, was powerless to intervene.

The dogs, owned by Adam and Susan Withers, were later found to have cocaine in their systems, according to toxicology reports cited by The Columbus Dispatch and Express US. Despite efforts by police to stop the attack, one of the pit bulls continued to lunge at Echelbarger even after being shot. Both animals were ultimately killed by law enforcement.

Legal action follows horrific attack

Following the attack, Adam and Susan Withers were convicted of involuntary manslaughter. In the wake of their convictions, Echelbarger’s family has filed a lawsuit against the Withers, the local dog warden, and the condominium complex where the couple resided, arguing that multiple warnings about the dogs had been ignored.

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The lawsuit alleges that complaints had been raised about the pit bulls before the deadly attack. The homeowners’ association had previously ordered the dogs’ removal, and a judge had also ruled that they be taken away. One of the dogs had already been designated as dangerous after attacking a neighbor, Kimberlee Black, and killing her puppy in October 2023. However, despite legal interventions, the dogs remained in the complex and continued to pose a threat.

Authorities ignored warning signs, family says

Just weeks before Echelbarger’s tragic death, police had been called to the Withers’ residence after the pit bulls were seen roaming freely. According to the lawsuit, authorities suspected at that time that the dogs had consumed their owner’s cocaine. Despite this, the animals were returned to the Withers, and the local dog warden allegedly failed to take further action.

Echelbarger’s son, Bill Rogers, condemned the handling of the case, calling the authorities’ response “reckless.” Speaking to ABC6, he stated, “I feel like they were gambling with a lot of people’s lives that day. And she was the one who paid the price.”

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Her daughter, Earlene, expressed her grief, adding, “She did not deserve this. She was tortured and she suffered. This is not what you expect your parent to go through. This is not what you expect to happen to anyone you love.”

Convictions and legal consequences

The lawsuit seeks more than $25,000 in compensatory damages, along with additional punitive damages to be determined at trial. The sentencing date for Adam and Susan Withers has yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, the case has sparked renewed scrutiny over local enforcement of dangerous animal regulations, with the victim’s family demanding accountability for the failures that led to Echelbarger’s tragic death.

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