If Jean Robinson, 76, and Allison Joy Cumming, 53, actually died by dog during the early morning hours of December 27, 2023, at their Pawsitive Dog Kennel training and boarding facility on Red Schoolhouse Road in Farmington, Maine, the U.S. dog attack body count for 2023 would rise to 70.
ANIMALS 24-7, logging the body count since 1982, delayed releasing our annual wrap-up of U.S. and Canadian dog attack deaths and disfigurements for two weeks while awaiting confirmation of how Robinson and Cumming died, reportedly more than five hours before their remains were discovered.
Medical examiner says "Murder"
Cumming had just before Christmas 2023 posted to social media videos of herself playing with several pit bulls, German shepherds, and other large dogs.
Law enforcement, friends, and neighbors have still not disclosed the causes of death for Robinson and Cumming, while extensive media speculation has appeared as far away as England.
However, "The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled the manner of death of a mother and daughter last month on Red Schoolhouse Road as homicide," reported Donna M. Perry of the Lewiston Sun Journal on January 12, 2024, citing a prepared statement from Shannon Moss, public information officer for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
"The statement emphasized there is no danger to the public," Perry said.
Still some chance that dogs were involved
"State Police Major Crimes Unit detectives, Farmington police officers and Franklin County Sheriff's deputies, in collaboration with the Office of the Maine Attorney General, continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths," Perry continued.
"Additional information will be released 'when the investigation dictates it's appropriate to do so,' according to Moss," Perry finished.
The Maine legal definition of homicide is "Any death due to a fight, quarrel, argument, assault or commission of a crime."
This does not completely exclude the possibility that dog trainers Robinson and Cumming might have set dogs on each other during a "fight, quarrel, argument," but appears to significantly narrow the likelihood that any of the many dogs on the premises were directly involved.
Two Canadian dog attack fatalities in 2023
Only two dog attack fatality are known to have occurred in Canada during 2023.
The first was a three-dog attack on a five-year-old boy, who was not named, on March 5, 2023 at the Whitefish Lake First Nation in northern Alberta.
This attack appears to have followed the pattern of attacks on small children by huskies and huskie mixes on First Nations reservations that accounted for most Canadian dog attack fatalities before 2018.
Post-2018, pit bulls have accounted for the majority of Canadian dog attack fatalities, as in the U.S.
The second Canadian victim, Lilly Elizabeth Cluckie, 76, died on June 16, 2023, in Burlington, Ontario, from injuries inflicted by her own "rescue" pit bull ten days earlier.
By the numbers
Altogether, between the U.S. and Canada, 782 dogs in 2023 attacked people in reported incidents resulting in at least one fatality or disfigurement, counting as a "disfigurement" injuries rating a high 4 or 5 on the Ian Dunbar scale for evaluating dog attacks, on which a 6 is that the victim is dead.
Known victims included 143 children, and 490 adults, who among them suffered 69 deaths and 547 known disfigurements.
Of the attacking dogs identified by breed, 518 (66%) were pit bulls, accounting for 72% of the attacks on children, 46% of the attacks on adults, and 50% of the known disfigurements.
However, these numbers likely far understate the extent of pit bull mayhem due to the frequency of attacks in which the breed identity of the dog is not released to media.
Adjusting for concealed information
ANIMALS 24-7 adjusts for the non-reporting factor by proportionately allocating the attacks by dogs whose breed type is not released among those whose breeds are identified.
For example, two-thirds of the attacking dogs identified by breed in 2023 were pit bulls; thus it is likely that two-thirds of the 186 dogs not identified by breed were also pit bulls.
Pit bulls accounted for 50% of the known disfigurements in 2023 in which the breed of the attacking dog or dogs was identified. Therefore, pit bulls probably also accounted for 50% of the known disfigurements in cases in which the breed identity of the attacking dog or dogs was withheld.
With that adjustment made, pit bulls appear to have accounted for 82% of the attacking dogs in 2023, inflicting 92% of the 131 attacks on children, 58% of the 283 attacks on adults, 81% of the 69 human deaths, and 63% of the disfigurements.
The 2023 roster of the dog attack dead
Killed by pit bulls:
1) Sadie Davila, 7, 1-6-2023, East Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Killed by neighbor's pit bull running at large. (See Pit bulls allowed to run loose bring 1st fatality & 1st near-fatality of 2023.)
2) Kellan Islas, 7, 1-6-2023, Fort Hall Reservation, Idaho. Killed by neighbor's two Rottweilers plus two "mixed breed" pit bulls. (See 2nd fatal dog attack of 2023, like the first, kills child out past sunset.) (Also listed under "Killed by Rottweiler.)
3) Doris McBurse, 66, 1-24-2023, Pitts, Georgia. Husband Harris was pit bull breeder.
4) John Doe, 69, 2-1-2023, Houston, Texas. Man not publicly identified tried to save his own poodle from two of his neighbor's dogs.
5) Stanley Hartt, 64, 2-2-2023, Tucumcari, New Mexico. Hartt was killed in a 5-dog attack. Dog owners Kristopher Morris & mother Mary Montoya were charged with involuntary manslaughter. (See Mother & son blame each other for pit bull pack attack killing in Tucumcari.)
6) Harold Riley, 50, 2-15-2023, Washington, D.C., was dragged to death by leash tied to his belt when his "service" pit bull failed to leave a commuter train with him.
7) Bonnie Varnes, 57, 2-20-2023, Toledo, Ohio, was killed by her own pit bull. (See Toledo pit bull advocate Bonnie Varnes, 58, killed by family pit bull.)
8) Ramon Najera, 81, 2-24-2023, San Antonio, Texas, was killed by three pit bulls. Pit bull owners Christian Moreno and Abilene Schnieder have been criminally charged. (See Pit bull mauling death of Ramon Najera, 81, shocks San Antonio.)
9) Nathaniel Posey, 63, 2-24-2023, Escambia, Florida. Three pit bulls. Owner Kathleen Ann Taylor was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison for manslaughter. (See Pit bull death of 93-year-old woman ends streak of 4 killings of adult men.)
10) Joe Cleveland Scott, 73, 2-28-2023, McDonald Chapel, Alabama. Killed by six-dog dog pack including pit bull, boxer, and German shepherd/Malinois mixes. (See Riverside County, California extends lead in fatal dog attacks.)
11) Man, unidentified, 3-20-2023, Visalia, California. Killed by two pit bulls. (See Pit bull kills rescuer trying to stop a fight; third fatal dog attack in six days.)
12) Don Gibson, 67, 3-23-2023, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Two pit bulls were leaders of an 8-dog attack. (See Pit bull kills rescuer trying to stop a fight; third fatal dog attack in six days, and Waterloo denies pit bull killed baby; Tulsa ignores 2 more pit bull deaths.)
13) Daniel Joseph Bonacorsi, 58, 4-4-2023, Detroit, Michigan. Three pit bulls, one of whom had killed a man previously. (See Pit bulls kill would-be rescuer in Detroit & two-year-old in Maryland.)
14) Blake Bettis, 2, 4-4-2023, Brunswick, Maryland. Killed by his grandmother's pit bull, in front of his mother. (See Pit bulls kill would-be rescuer in Detroit & two-year-old in Maryland.)
15) Wilma Lee "Polly" Ridner, 61, 4-11-2023, Parker's Lake, Kentucky. Killed by six dogs, five of them pit bulls, running at large. (See Woman killed by pit bulls where cockfighters appear to own the law.)
16) Dezmond R. Thomas Trawick, 22, 4-13-2023, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Killed by four pit bulls he was watching for others. (See Woman killed by pit bulls where cockfighters appear to own the law.)
17) Glennaroy Blackwelder, 71, 4-18-2023, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Killed by neighbor's pit bull. (See Does not acknowledging a fatal pit bull attack mean it did not happen?)
18) Riley Aiden Miller, 1, Hazlehurst, Georgia, 4-19-2023. Grandparents' pit bull. (See Granny acquitted of fatal dog attack; gramps & child's mom yet to be tried.)
19) John Hunter, 78, 4-27-2023, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Killed by his own pit bull. (See Waterloo denies pit bull killed baby; Tulsa ignores 2 more pit bull deaths.)
20) John Reed, 55-60, 4-27-2023, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Killed by his own pit bull. (See Waterloo denies pit bull killed baby; Tulsa ignores 2 more pit bull deaths.)
21) Navy Smith, 9 months, 5-4-2023, Waterloo, Iowa. Killed at grandmother's home. (See Granny acquitted of fatal dog attack; gramps & child's mom yet to be tried.)
22) Tamieka White, 46, 5-9-2023, Indianapolis, Indiana. Killed rescuing son. (See Tamieka White: 3rd Indianapolis-area mom sacrificed to pit bulls in 3 years.)
23) Rita Vasquez, 58, 5-31-2023, Corpus Christi, Texas. Killed while dog-sitting her daughter's pit bull. (See Corpus Christi: 30th U.S. dog attack fatality of 2023 is 21st by pit bull.)
24) Robert Showalter, 71, 6-8-2-23, Beckley, West Virginia. Killed by his own pit bull. (See If pit bull victims were billionaires in a leaky sub, public might give a damn.)
25) Lilly Elizabeth Cluckie, 76, 6-16-2023, Burlington, Ontario. Killed by her own rescue pit bull, died 10 days later. (See If pit bull victims were billionaires in a leaky sub, public might give a damn.)
26) Joseph "Iceman" Brown, 65, 6-19-2023, Newark, New Jersey. Mauled by his own pit bull, died 12-13 days later. (See If pit bull victims were billionaires in a leaky sub, public might give a damn.)
27) Girl, 11 months, 6-19-2023, Madison Township, Michigan. Killed by her grandfather's pit bull. (See Detroit animal control & humane society dog attack prevention fails again.)
28) Lewis Flores, 40, 6-20-2023, Rockport, Texas. Killed by three free-roaming pit bulls. Guadalupe Carreon, 33, and Mario Alberto Mendoza Pena, also 33, were charged with second-degree felonies. (See If pit bull victims were billionaires in a leaky sub, public might give a damn.)
29) Faith Ann McGuire, 2, 6-21-2023, Concho, Arizona. Three free-roaming pit bulls reportedly tore the victim out of her mother's arms. Pit bull owners Jason Brad Kruse, 50, and Tonjia Maria Chubokoff, 51, were charged with aggravated assault with deadly weapon plus assault by a vicious animal. (See If pit bull victims were billionaires in a leaky sub, public might give a damn.)
30) Helene Jackson, 84, 6-23-2023, Sierra Vista, Arizona. Killed by two pit bulls who also killed her dog. (See Fourth of July body count: 1 death by bull, 2 by pit bulls, 1 by alligator.)
31) Anthony Gerard Bastardi, 67, 7-3-2023, Wilson's Mills, North Carolina. Son & daughter-in-law's pit bull & Cane Corso, who had already injured a vet tech. (See Fourth of July body count: 1 death by bull, 2 by pit bulls, 1 by alligator.)
32) Daylen Guillen, 6, 7-4-2023, North Port, Florida. Killed by 3-year-old family pit bull raised from puppy. (See Fourth of July body count: 1 death by bull, 2 by pit bulls, 1 by alligator.)
33) Leona S. Hillengas, 67, 7-18-23, Dowling Park, Florida. Killed by her own four pit bulls.
34) Joseph Taylor Keeton, 56, 7-19-2023, Des Chutes County, Oregon. Jessica Rae Charity McCleery, 38, pleaded guilty in December 2023 to criminally negligent homicide and two counts of maintaining a dangerous dog that killed a person. (See Pit bull death of 93-year-old woman ends streak of 4 killings of adult men.)
35) Robert Northrop, 71, 8-1-2023, Ocean View Estates, Hawaii. Killed by four free-roaming pit bulls belonging to a neighbor. (See Pit bull death of 93-year-old woman ends streak of 4 killings of adult men.)
36) Jeane Bennett, 93, 8-16-2023, Blytheville, Arkansas. Attacked by three free-roaming pit bulls on June 3, 2023. Neighbor David Veasey, 43, was charged with 2 counts of felony aggravated assault, 2 counts of unlawful dog attack, and various violations of city ordinance. (See Pit bull death of 93-year-old woman ends streak of 4 killings of adult men.)
37) Billene "Billi" Cameron, 65, 9-20-2023, Kennewick, Washington. Killed by 2 free-roaming pit bulls while trying to save her own dog. (See Yet again, repealing BSL brings a pit bull-inflicted fatality.)
38) Brenda Witt, 60, 9-24-2023, Genoa, Arkansas. Killed by 5 free-roaming pit bulls. (See Pit bulls kill 2 women, 2 days apart. Small town cares; does Toledo?)
39) Diane Etta Knepper, 70, 9-26-2023, Toledo, Ohio. Killed by her own pit bull. (See Pit bulls kill 2 women, 2 days apart. Small town cares; does Toledo?
40) Donovan Brooks, 40, 9-26-2023, Ringgold, Louisiana. Killed by the same pit bull pack who severely mauled Davyta Gray, 30, on 9-27-2023. Charged with negligent homicide and obstruction of justice charges were Charlotte Hubbard, 77; Shawn Hubbard, 32; and Gerald Miller, 51. Charged as an alleged accessory after the fact was Cameron Kelly, 21 (See Pit bull victim's body hidden in town with rancid reputation for 90 years.)
41) Paul Anthony Striegl Jr., 47, 10-1-2023, San Antonio, Texas. Attacked by neighbor's two pit bulls on September 5, 2023; died of injuries almost a month later.
42) Lovell Anderson, 4, 10-18-2023, Detroit, Michigan. Attacked by a neighbor's two pit bulls. (See Detroit animal control & humane society dog attack prevention fails again.)
43) George Henry Smith, 19 months, 10-24-2023, Hahira, Georgia. Killed by grandmother's pit bull. (See Halloween 2023: three dead by pit bull in 24 hours; U.K. bans XL Bullies.)
44) David Eller, 65, 10-31-2023, Monck's Corner, South Carolina. Killed by three of neighbor's pit bulls. (See Halloween 2023: three dead by pit bull in 24 hours; U.K. bans XL Bullies.)
45) Colton Michael Kline, 5, 10-31-2023, North Spokane, Washington. Killed in home by family pit bull. (See Halloween 2023: three dead by pit bull in 24 hours; U.K. bans XL Bullies.)
46) Jonirus Davis, 31, 11-1-2023, Lowndes County, Alabama. Sanitation worker fell off and was crushed by garbage truck while under attack by pit bull. (See Halloween 2023: three dead by pit bull in 24 hours; U.K. bans XL Bullies.)
47) Jonathan Mendenhall, 34, 11-6-2023, Springfield, Illinois. (See Two more pit bull attack fatalities extend 2023 record total.)
48) Sandra Miller, 63, 11-7-2023, Taylorsville, Utah. Attacked while feeding one of her several sons' seven pit bulls on 10-31-2023. (See Two more pit bull attack fatalities extend 2023 record total.)
49) Sharon Kaye Billups Portis, 63, 11-9-2023, Birmingham, Alabama. Killed by a pack of three pit bulls seen at site. (See If dogs kill your mama or grandma, don't expect the law to give a damn.)
50) Makai Williams, 15, 11-17-2023, Raytown, Missouri. Attacked in front yard by his own two pit bulls on 11-14-2023.
51) Antonio Shaw, 63, 12-4-2023, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Attacked by five pit bulls on 10-4-23; died of injuries two months later.
52) Beverly Hayden, 89, 12-6-2023, Cass County, Indiana. Attacked in home by her own pit bull. (See "Great Dane/mastiff" killing of 6-year-old shows genetics trump training.)
53) Carol Streit, 65, 12-13-2023, Spokane, Washington. Attacked while walking her own pit bull, adopted from SCRAPS. (See Repeal of Miami-Dade pit bull ban brings 1st fatality in only 78 days.)
54) Unidentified man, 59, 12-15-2023, Wellton, Arizona. (See Repeal of Miami-Dade pit bull ban brings 1st fatality in only 78 days.)
55) Alexander A. Torres, 29, 12-18-2023, Kendall, Florida. Killed by own pit bull. (See Repeal of Miami-Dade pit bull ban brings 1st fatality in only 78 days.)
Killed by beagle:
1) Brighton Penkacik, 12, 9-1-2023, Jacksonville, Florida. Fled from aggressive beagle into street, was hit by car. (See Cane Corsos & pit bulls killed two 93-year-old women in two weeks.)
Killed by Cane Corso:
1) Mateo Salvador, 42, 3-8-2023, Jurupa Valley, California. Killed by four dogs including a Cane Corso and three Malinois. (See Riverside County, California extends lead in fatal dog attacks.) (Also listed under killed by Malinois.)
2) Patrick Conley Sr., 68, 8-2-2023, Tyrone Township, Michigan. Attacked by "mastiff-type" dog with priors. (See Pit bull death of 93-year-old woman ends streak of 4 killings of adult men.
4) Chanthy Philavong Maetu, 93, 8-31-2023, Modesto, California. (See Cane Corsos & pit bulls killed two 93-year-old women in two weeks) and If dogs kill your mama or grandma, don't expect the law to give a damn.)
5) Loyalty Charles Scott, 6, 12-5-2023, Portland, OR. two dogs kept by grandmother's friend. [Misidentified by police as Dane/mastiff crosses.] (See "Great Dane/mastiff" killing of 6-year-old shows genetics trump training.)
Killed by German shepherd:
1) Joe Cleveland Scott, 73, 2-28-2023, McDonald Chapel, AL. Killed by six-dog dog pack including pit bull, boxer, and German shepherd/Malinois mixes. (See Riverside County, California extends lead in fatal dog attacks.) (Also listed under killed by pit bull.)
Killed by Great Dane:
1) Kristen Potter, 36, 3-16-2023, New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania. Killed by two dogs kept by neighbor Wendy Sabathne. (See Pit bull kills rescuer trying to stop a fight; third fatal dog attack in six days.)
Killed by Kangal:
1) Sau Nguyen, 79, 11-16-2023, Houston, Texas. Free-roaming Kangal & Kangal mix. (See If dogs kill your mama or grandma, don't expect the law to give a damn.)
Killed by Malinois:
1) Joe Cleveland Scott, 73, 2-28-2023, McDonald Chapel, AL. Killed by six-dog dog pack including pit bull, boxer, and German shepherd/Malinois mixes. (See Riverside County, California extends lead in fatal dog attacks.)
2) Mateo Salvador, 42, 3-8-2023, Jurupa Valley, California. Killed by four dogs including a Cane Corso and three Malinois. (See Riverside County, California extends lead in fatal dog attacks.) (Also listed under killed by Malinois.)
Killed by Rottweiler:
1) Kellan Islas, 7, 1-6-2023, Fort Hall Reservation, Idaho. Killed by neighbor's two Rottweilers plus 2 "mixed breed" pit bulls. (See 2nd fatal dog attack of 2023, like the first, kills child out past sunset.) (Also listed under "Killed by pit bull.)
2) Jessica Wauters, 59, 10-12-2023, Tomball, Texas. (See Rottweilers kill two owners, ages 59 & 66, in just eight days.)
Killed by dogs not identified:
1) Boy, 5, 3-5-2023, Whitefish Lake First Nation, Alberta, Canada. 3-dog attack.
2) Kara Lynette Winston, 36, 4-15-2023, Lansing, Michigan. (See "Flesh & blood scattered everywhere": Dog Bite Prevention Week 2023.)
3) Demarcus "Sam" Kenzie II, 27, 7-29-2023, Skipperville, Alabama. Pack attack by dogs with priors. (See Pit bull death of 93-year-old woman ends streak of 4 killings of adult men.)
4) Jason Bullard, 40, 12-19-2023, Big Spring, Texas. Two-dog attack. (See Repeal of Miami-Dade pit bull ban brings 1st fatality in only 78 days.)
Killed by wolf hybrid:
1) Leo Caddel, three months, 11-30-2023, Chelsea, Alabama. Attacked in grandparents' kitchen with parents present. (See Alabama wolf hybrid baby killing: Jack London knew "bastard wolves".)
Why? 5G? Dog vaccines? Earth energetic changes?
Have you noted a change in behavior in dogs?