Maryland dog attack caught on camera, victim claims police never responded
The Brief
Dog attack caught on video sparks concerns over emergency response delays.
Victim, 11-month-old rescue both injured; police allegedly did not respond in the immediate aftermath.
Investigation ongoing.
The woman, who asked not to be identified, said she was visiting her new home in District Heights last weekend when the attack occurred.
What we know
A neighbor's Ring camera recorded the entire incident, showing a large dog lunging at her 11-month-old rescue named, "Lily of the Valley," just before 10 a.m. this past Sunday. The woman credits her neighbor with running to help and taking her to get urgent care.
She tells FOX 5 she suffered severe finger injuries, and her dog sustained multiple puncture wounds. She also said she had to get a Tetanus shot and at least seven rabies shots, with more rounds expected.
The victim shared timestamps of her calls to 9-1-1. You hear a neighbor instruct someone in their home to call 9-1-1.
FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez also heard the radio dispatch call go out for a woman bit by a dog on Prince Stephanie Court. However, the victim claims no officer or ambulance ever came.
FOX 5 reached out to Prince George's County Police. We are also aware District Heights has a small department.
In an emotional interview Wednesday morning, the woman told FOX 5, "I'm an new resident at Prince George's County and I was just appalled at the fact that response didn't come." "I'm sorry," she said wiping away tears, "and I don't how much longer I could have waited. I definitely couldn't' drive myself so I'm not sure what would've happened if the neighbors — if that one neighbor hadn't taken me to the hospital. And I think it's terrible that — for anyone to have to go through that or not get help if they need it."
The woman says it was over an hour after the incident when she got a call from an officer wanting to take a police report. She says she later spoke with that officer in-person, who apparently told her an ambulance couldn't come until police secured the scene.
That is not uncommon practice for responses in the region. However, it's still not clear why police did not immediately respond to this emergency.
This is a developing story.
The Source
Information in this article comes from details gathered by FOX 5's Stephanie Ramirez, including an interview with the victim.
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