Girl, 4, Killed By Family Rottweilers

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SPARTANBURG, S. C. -- A 4-year-old Spartanburg County girl died of severe head injuries after being attacked by her family's rottweilers.


Asia Turner


Asia Turner was playing in her back yard when she was attacked by her family's rottweilers, named Luke and Duke.

The girl's grandmother, Lana Bogan, said one dog was chained to a clothesline and the other had gotten out of a fence.

"He broke loose. They are big dogs," said Bogan. "I don't know if another dog in the neighborhood was here and stirred him up or what."

Investigators said there were no witnesses to the attack and neighbors said they didn’t hear anything unusual.

Neighbors said the victim's father was inside taking a nap when the attack happened.

"It's too early to tell if it was a initiated attack of the dogs or if the two dogs were fighting and the child got in the middle of it," said Don Arnold, a spokesman for Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement.

Bogan said one of the dogs seemed to be more aggressive than the other.

"The only time I've seen either one of them get aggressive is when I had Duke and they brought Luke over there, Duke tried to get toward Luke," said Bogan. "That's when I told them they didn't need to keep the two dogs together."


Neighbors said they were cautious of both dogs.

"The rottweilers have growled and lunged at me," said Charlotte Ridings.

Ridings said she believes the attack could have been prevented.

"Yeah, I think it could've been prevented," said Ridings. "I hope they don't bring the dogs back, because we will petition it."

The dogs were taken to the Spartanburg Humane Society. They will be held there for 10 days.

South Carolina law does not require the dogs be put to sleep because the attack happened on the owner's property.

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