San Diego Woman’s Death Linked to Earlier Pit Bull Attack
Emako Mendoza's death has been linked to injuries she sustained in a June dog attack.
A 76-year-old San Diego woman died on Christmas Eve, apparently from injuries she sustained in a pit bull attack that occurred in June.
Emako Mendoza had stepped outside of her Paradise Hills home to retrieve the morning paper when she was viciously attacked by two pit bulls. The dogs, who belonged to Ms. Mendoza's next-door neighbors, attacked her so severely that doctors had no choice but to amputate her left leg below the knee and her left arm at the elbow. James Mendoza, Emako's husband of 53 years, discovered his wife's injured body.
The dog's owners, Alba Medina Cornelio, 39, and her daughter, Carla Ramirez Cornelio, 19, were charged with two felony counts each of having a mischievous animal that causes serious bodily injury along with six other misdemeanor offenses. Investigators determined that the dogs had escaped through a hole in a fence that separated the property between the Mendozas and the Cornelios.
Ms. Cornelio and her daughter, who were known pit bull breeders, claim the dogs were attempting to flee from a swam of bees when the attack occurred. Reportedly, the same two dogs had escaped from the Cornelios' home in December of 2010 and attacked a man and his puppy. Both the dogs and their three-wee-old puppies were euthanized by animal control.
Following the death of Ms. Mendoza, the San Diego District Attorney's Office has announced it will consider whether to pursue additional charges, which may include reckless homicide. An official cause of death has not yet been released but the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office has stated that the injuries Ms. Mendoza sustained in the pit bull attack were a contributing factor. If convicted of the current charges, both Ms. Cornelio and her daughter face up to three years in prison.
As evidenced by this tragic case, a pit bull attack can result in serious or even fatal injuries. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that approximately two-thirds of the estimated 4.5 million dog attacks occurring annually involve pit bulls. Of the eight fatal dog attacks that occurred in California in 2009, seven of the deaths were attributed to pit bulls.
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a dog attack caused by the owner's negligence, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries. The law firm of Nadrich & Cohen LLP has represented thousands of dog bite victims in proving their injury claims against negligent dog owners. We are committed to protecting the rights of individuals who've been injured in a dog attack through no fault of their own.
We offer initial case evaluations free of charge and there is never a fee unless we recover a judgment on your behalf. Call our Injury Hotline today at 1-800-718-4658 to speak with a member of our dog bite injury team regarding your claim.
