A 77-year-old Phoenix woman was fatally mauled by a pack of dogs in front of her home — and the animals’ owner has been arrested in connection to her death, authorities said.
Maria Ruiz, 77, was attacked by four Staffordshire-Terrier mixes while sitting on her front porch Tuesday morning in Valley, ABC15 reported.
Emergency responders found Ruiz in critical condition and rushed her to the hospital, where she later died from her injuries, authorities said.
The dogs are owned by 33-year-old Alejandro Hernandez, who admitted to authorities that his pets had escaped numerous times in the past and bitten neighbors, police said.
He had also been previously contacted by animal control about securing his gate.
Police took Hernandez into custody and charged him with one count of negligent homicide, the outlet reported.
Maria Eliza Sebastian was mauled to death by four dogs in Phoenix, Arizona. 12news.com
Alejandro Hernandez admitted that his dogs often escaped from his property. MCSOMaricopa County Animal Care also was on the scene and captured the dogs.
