********** Makayla Woodard Laid To Rest *************
Article courtesy of WBTV
WAXHAW, NC - Two pit bulls attacked and killed a young girl and severely injured her grandmother in Union County Wednesday morning.
According to the Waxhaw Police Department, five-year-old Makayla Woodard and her grandmother, 67-year-old Nancy Presson, were attacked by the dogs just after 11 a.m. at 325 Rehobeth Road, which is not far from downtown Waxhaw.
Presson was hurt while trying to get the dogs off Makayla, police said.
Makayla and Presson were transported to Carolinas Medical Center-Union in Monroe where the girl died a short time later from her injuries.
Presson was under sedation and listed in stable condition in the hospital’s emergency department as of Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Person’s daughter, who is Makayla’s mother, told WBTV’s Brigida Mack Wednesday night that her mother’s injuries were severe, but that she would survive them.
Makayla’s mother also said that she was upset that the media had called the dogs vicious, even though the dogs killed her daughter. She said they had always been friendly up until Wednesday’s attack.
Amy Plyler, who is a family member, told WBTV Reporter Sharon Smith the girl was attacked while trying to get into a fenced-in yard adjacent to her home.
Makayla was mauled by a pit bull named Rebel which Plyler said “tended to wander the street.”
“I don’t know if Makayla even saw them coming,” she said.
Investigators said Rebel was immediately killed by authorities. The other dog was on the loose for a short time, but was later fatally shot by authorities.
Both dogs were owned by neighbor Michael Gordon. Waxhaw police tell WBTV they had just gone to Gordon’s house around Christmas and warned him about restraining his dogs.
A man who lives nearby on Sweetbay Court told WBTV he heard a woman’s scream around 11:10 a.m.
Scott Bland was in his driveway trying to clear snow and ice so he could go to work. (Click to see our complete interview with Scott Bland.)
“She was screaming non-stop, she would catch her breath–there were no words, just screams,” said Bland who called 911. “It was like a horror film, just high-pitch squeals, a woman’s voice, the screaming just got worse.”
Bland says when he spoke with a 911 operator, they had already received other calls concerning the attack.
“It was a little bit unnerving to know the pit bull dogs were running around the neighborhood,” Bland said. “This is a perfect example of why people should not allow these dogs to run loose.”
Waxhaw has a leash law which says that bans dog owners from letting their dogs run loose.
It appears Gordon will be charged with violating the leash law, but Waxhaw police chief Michael Eiss says more charges than that could be coming.
Eiss says his department has been in contact with the Union County District Attorney’s office about the case, which is still officially under investigation.
2011 Union County, NC
As the proud owner of a beautiful and loving pit bull, I wish idiots were not allowed to have dogs. These idiots are the reason we have “dangerous” dog breeds. Any dog can have “aggressive tendencies” so how can you point at any certain breed. Bottom line. Don’t blame the breed, blame the idiots who aren’t taking proper care of them. End of story.
First, I am sorry that the family lost their daughter. Saying that, NO breed of dog should be banned. ONLY bad owners should be banned. It is not the dogs fault that they were not trained and raised properly. There is no such thing as a vicious breed. Improperly trained dogs of any breed can be vicious. Pitbulls are very loving dogs unless they are treated badly or neglected which happens to any breed that is treated bad. Pitbulls have a proud history in this country if proper research is done. Did you know that Petey from Our Gang/ Little Rascals was a pit bull? None of those kids were ever hurt.
“It appears Gordon will be charged with violating the leash law, but Waxhaw police chief Michael Eiss says more charges than that could be coming.”
NOW they are going to charge him with violating the leash law??? What a joke.
When something like this happenes it’s all of our faults for not being familar with our ordinances and for not insisting on zero tolerance law enforcement…before a tragedy occurred.
If the Waxhaw police and animal control had been on the ball when people did call in complaints about those dogs (because neighbors did complain about those dogs approaching them in a terrorizing manner), they could have declared those dogs to be dangerous and the idiot owner would have had to get rid of them…you see, that “leash law” doesn’t apply to dangerous dogs…the Waxhaw Animal Ordiances state that danerous dogs (which includes potentially dangerous dogs per definition of)are not allowed inside the town limits…Title IX: General Regulations, Chapter 20: Animals, Section 90.20, B(1)…and in the rest of Union County potentially dangerous dogs are supposed to be contained in secure enclosures with a Dangerous Dog sign posted…so even though there is no “leash law” in the county there is a provision to contain dangerous dogs…Read your ordinances, folks.
As for what @kate said about “shame on all who new they were allowed to run loose and didn’t keep reporting it…” It took me over a year of calling and reporting a severe violation of the animal ordinances before my neighbors were even issued a citation…and then they didn’t stop the violation until the judge slapped the fine on them along with court costs and told them the fine would be 5 times more (plus court costs) for the second violation…
The only thing that will make some people, uh, “responsible” pet owners is a citation, a big fat fine, and the threat of an even larger fine if a second citation is issued…and the law breathing down their backs.
The fine for the first violation of the UC AC Ordinances is $200; the fine for the dangerous dog part starts at $100 (doesn’t make sense, I know) to $500 for the first offense…tops at $1500 if the dog seriously injures a human…just think of all the money Union County could be collecting around here just for dog ordinance violations alone… UC has a gold mine right in it’s own backyard and aren’t even taking advantage of it. Why???
In reading all the comments to news reports on other sites I have to say that family who lost their child need to hear things that will help them heal. Losing a child is an undescribable pain and the families will look back later at all of the commments as a part of their healing process…our enegergies should be focused on supporting the grieving families.
@Kathy Twitty – I totally understand what you are saying…but this tragic event strikes a cord of fear in many people in Union County and you can’t really blame them for being angry and fearful. People like you have your part to play by offering sympathy to the family, but if we all just sit around doing that then this horrific event will just get swept under the carpet and things in Union County will go on as they have been. I don’t know where you live, but since I moved to Union County 10 years ago I’ve been appalled at the way animals are chained up and neglected, the way they are allowed to breed & run about unregulated, and cause disturbances for other people in the neighborhood…I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere I’ve lived, worked or visited and quite frankly if I could move I would, but that isn’t an option for me right now. S I’m glad there are kind people like you to help the family heal, because my job is something else…as long as I’m living in Union County my job is to do my best to make sure this never happens again by making my fellow citizens aware of what their laws are lacking, what their law enforcement is lacking and how we need to go about changing these things because if this terribly tragic event gets swept under the carpet then so does Makala and her family…until another child gets killed by neglected, free roaming, dangerous dogs whose owners are allowed to disregard the laws.
outlaw these dang dogs
How can you outlaw the dogs? Do you expect the authorities to go door to door and take people’s pets who are part of the family? I have a pit bull and becides, what did she do? Blame the owner, not the breed.
they need to carge the owner with murder
shame on these dogs owners, shame on all who new they were allowed to run lose and didnt keep reporting it until something was done, and shame on law enforcement for only issuing a warning…any dog has the capacity to become vicious at any point..dogs are wonderful animals, and great pets and companions…but the fact of the matter is, no matter how much we love them or how sweet they can be…this kind of thing can happen. this is just a tragic,,,but such a preventable event…my heart breaks for the little girl, and for the grandmother who bravely tried to save her and will for the rest of her life have to remember and relive that terrible memory…i would like to say that i am a dog owner and love them dearly,,,but know enough to keeps them pinned, tied or at my side at all times.