Nine-Year-Old Edgefield County Girl Killed By Family Dog

By WJBF Staff
Published: January 24, 2011
Updated: January 25, 2011 - 12:18 AM

 

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Edgefield/McCormick Counties, SC -- An Edgefield County family is in mourning after their dog attacked and killed their 9-year-old girl.

Kristen Dutton's grandfather says he thought the fourth-grader was playing with the family's 98-pound Japanese akita at a home in Modoc Shores in McCormick County.

The grandfather went then inside the home. About 15 minutes later, he told his grandson to tell Kristen it was time for her to come in.

The grandson came back in and told the grandfather, Kristen was still on the ground, she looked dead.

Kristen was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Leah Abercrombie, Kristen's mother, she says she's not sure what happened to make the dog attack.

"She was done walking the dog. She had put the dog in the kennel. It didn't happen when she was walking the dog. She had put the dog in the kennel and was playing with him."

"She played with him everyday. She walked him on the weekends. He was never aggressive toward her or nothing. I don't know what made him do it."

According to South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the 98-pound dog is being tested negative for rabies.

Abercrombie says her daughter will always be remembered.

"Love your child everyday. Tell them you love them because this can happen to anybody. That was a precious little girl. She was the best thing ever, she was a gift"

Her mother says the Merriweather Elementary fourth grader loved animals and wanted to be a veterinarian.

Today some experts say the death proves a sad point about the safety of some our family pets.

Veterinarian Catherine Bloodworth say "They are in fact animals and they're not going be predictable in every area."

Bloodworth says there are conditons that can lead a dog to act more aggressively, including arthritis or acute pain from an accident.

Other experts say pet lovers should choose wisely when it comes to breed selection. Some dogs are breed to guard or protect and can be prone to aggression.

The service for Dutton will be Wednesday in North Augusta.

Sandra Friar, a spokeswoman for Edgefield County Schools, said counselors would be available for the students and staff.

 

9-year-old Killed in Dog Attack

Staff Reporter
Mon, Jan 24, 2011

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A 9-year-old McCormick girl was killed Saturday by a family dog while visiting her grandfather’s home in the Modoc community.

Kristen Lee Dutton, a fourth-grade student at Meriwether Elementary School was pronounced dead at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital Saturday. According to reports from the McCormick County Sheriff’s Office the dog, the 98 lb. Akita, bit the young girl in the neck.

Dutton was at her grandfather’s home on Hood Drive in the Modoc Community Saturday evening when she was attacked. Reports say the girl had walked the dog earlier in the day with no problems but while playing outside with the dog, which was on a “runner” in the yard, he attacked her. The girl’s grandfather reportedly found her lying in the yard about 15 minutes after she was attacked.

The grandfather had purchased the dog three weeks earlier.

The dog was taken by the Abbeville County Animal Control and was to be picked up by the Department of Health and Environmental Control Monday to be tested for rabies then euthanized.

Funeral arrangements for Dutton are planned for Wednesday at Posey Funeral Chapel in North Augusta.