Woman found dead in Ohio home was likely killed by her Great Danes, police say
Woman found dead in Ohio home was likely killed by her Great Danes, police say
Police in Clearcreek Township, south of Dayton, said that Mary Matthews, 49, may have been so intoxicated that she didn’t realize how badly she’d been bitten and didn’t call for help.
Matthews was found Friday afternoon by her husband, Dale Matthews, who was released from the Warren County Jail that day, and his son.
When officer Wendi Blaha responded to the report of a possible overdose at Matthews’ home, she found walls covered in blood and Matthews laying on the floor of her bathroom, a police report says.
Matthews’ body was covered in puncture wounds and appeared to be missing a piece of flesh from her ankle, the report says. She wasn’t breathing and her body was rigid, according to the report.
Blaha found two large, thin Great Danes on an enclosed deck that was so littered in feces that the “actual deck could not be seen.”
Dale Matthews told Blaha that one of the dogs was “vicious” and had bitten several people, including him.
The dogs were taken by a warden for bite mark comparisons, the report says. The Warren County Coroner’s Office told NBC News the dogs will be euthanized.
Dale Matthews told Blaha that his wife began most days taking “numerous” prescription medications and drinking beer.
Authorities concluded that Mary Matthews likely got the dogs outside after one or both of them attacked her, then “felt she could handle things on her own,” the report says.
She was killed the same day she was found, according to the coroner's office, and was last seen alive two days before she died.
The preliminary cause of death is listed as "attacked by dogs," the coroner's office said.
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It would unusual for a dane to attack. They by their nature are gentle giants.
Very unusual, something went wrong with the upbringing of at least one of them
I always thought that notwithstanding their size, Great Danes were gentle with people, but I agree with what Kavika said.
Per the article, the dogs were on a porch that was covered in feces and they were skinny. Reading about this women and her ''habits'' it's very possible that the dogs were mistreated. It's possible in a drunken stupor she did something really stupid that cost her her life.
They were rescued dogs and her husband didn't want her to keep them.
“I never wanted Great Danes but she wanted to rescue them,” Matthews told the newspaper. “She loved animals so I let her get them. I probably should have put my foot down and said no, obviously.”
Dean, from the condition, that they were found in I doubt very much that she had any idea of what she was doing and I could think that they were mistreated. She was a drunk and a drug addict, a great combo to be caring for dogs.
Maybe if her husband didn't spend time in jail he would know what the heck was going on.
Of course. If the dogs were unduly thin then she may not have been feeding them regularly. When she was out of her mind she may have hit them with a broom handle or something similar because they were crapping in the house. Mistreatment seems very possible.
An alcoholic drug addict should not have had two giant dogs that she was unable to care for. Sad story.
"Deck covered in feces" reveals much as to one of the reasons this tragedy occurred.
Perhaps these people are 'not suited' to be responsible animal owners.