Dogs That Mauled Virginia Woman To Death Likely Underfed: Sheriff

GOOCHLAND, VA — An autopsy report has confirmed a 22-year-old woman was mauled and killed by her American pit bull terriers in Goochland during December. The Goochland Sheriff's Office has indicated that the two dogs may have been underfed and distressed before the attack happened.

Goochland sheriff's deputies found Bethany Lynn Stephens' body on Dec. 14 in a wooded area where she walked the dogs by her father's house. The autopsy report indicates deputies saw the dogs eating parts of Stephens' body, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

The state medical examiner says Stephens died from “trauma due to mauling by animals" and no evidence of an attack aside from dog attack wounds had been found on her body. The first attack was to her throat and face, after which she is believed to have fallen to the ground and then being mauled to death. Her body contained "extensive postmortem animal predation at the face, torso and arms" and wounds consistent with trying to defend herself from the dogs' attacks.

Stephens was petite, 5 foot 1 and 125 pounds, while the dogs weighed between 100 and 200 pounds. One of the dogs has a history of snapping at a former owner, according to the sheriff. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Sheriff investigations revealed Stephens lived in Glen Allen and came back to her father's house to often walk the dogs daily. The dogs had likely been underfed and distressed after she moved away from the home. A friend had told the WRIC television station Stephens has raised the dogs since they were puppies.

The sheriff's office has closed the investigation into Stephens' death. The dogs have been euthanized with the permission of the family.

So far this year, pit bulls have been responsible for the two dog bite fatalities across the U.S., according to DogsBite.org. The various types of pit bulls has accounted for 64.8 percent of all dog bite fatalities from 2005-2016. Virginia does not impose restrictions on owning pit bulls.

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