A distressing event unfolded recently in Quitman, Georgia, with fatal consequences for a local mother and serious injuries to her children. This was precipitated by an attack by a minimum of 13 aggressive dogs.
The horrifying incident took place merely days before Mother’s Day, casting a dark shadow over what is typically a festive weekend.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) reported that the mother, Courtney Williams, 35, was found dead on the afternoon of May 9, 2024 in the yard of a house on Webster Road. Brooks County deputies responded to the scene around 4:45 p.m. following a distress call about several children being attacked by dogs.
Reports indicate that the attack occurred while the family was at a bus stop behind Brooks County Middle School. The GBI has not yet released information about who owned the dogs involved in the incident, but initial reports hint that they might have been owned by a neighbor.
Williams’ sister-in-law, Crystal Cox, shared a moving account of the events on social media. She reported that Williams’ son Kayden was seriously injured as he tried to shield his sister from the dogs. “He was hurt quite seriously but is doing better now, they stapled him up. He’s in pain and resting at my house,” Cox stated in her Facebook post.
Another of Williams’ sons ran into the nearby school to seek help as the dogs attacked his family. He managed to alert a man who helped fend off the dogs and hurried the children to the hospital before law enforcement arrived.
A local resident expressed profound sadness for the family, particularly given the timing of the incident. “I do feel for the family and for the kids because now they are going to have to celebrate Mother’s Day without their mother,” the neighbor told local reporters.
In the aftermath of this event, the GBI is urging anyone with relevant information to contact their Investigative Office in Thomasville. The investigation is still ongoing and the public’s assistance is being sought to help shed light on the circumstances surrounding the attack.
WALB reported that the initial attack involved 13 dogs. Over the weekend, the Thomasville Humane Society started efforts to remove the dogs from the streets and has successfully captured 11 of them so far.
Chandler Giddes, head of the Thomasville Humane Society, commented, “The tragic loss of a woman’s life and the irreversible impact on two children highlight the significant challenges we face in animal services. It’s crucial to understand the reasons behind such aggressive behavior in dogs, from both the owners’ and the community’s perspectives. Responsibility is key.”
Giddes pointed out that there are still three more dogs that need to be removed from the location. A Brooks County resident mentioned that the issue of stray dogs and their overpopulation has been a longstanding problem in the area.
Each year, between 30 to 50 people across the United States die from dog bites, representing a minute fraction of the estimated 4.5 million dog bite incidents that occur annually.
