Arkansas Teenage Girl Mauled to Death as She Tried to Help 'Starving' Pack of Dogs Neglected by Their Owners
Makayla Fortner, 15, was killed in an enclosed area at a home in the community of Alexander, as she tried to care for around 30 starving dogs on Wednesday, June 11.
Fortner Had Been Trying to Help the Pack of Dogs After Learning About Their State of Neglect, was Trying to Find Them Permanent Homes
The teen and her mother, Stephanie Wilkie, was attempting to rescue the dogs after noticing their deteriorating condition, left to die by their owners. Fortner was also working to find them permanent homes, officials said.
Deputies from the Saline County Sheriff's Office said they were alerted to the attack around 12:15 p.m. Wednesday and arrived to find the teen already dead. With the assistance of Benton Animal Services, deputies seized multiple dogs from the property.
Dogs were a Mix of Pitbulls, Pitbull Crossbreeds, and Hounds; 14 of Them Euthanized in the Wake of the Attack
The dogs were a mix of pit bulls, pit bull crossbreeds, and hounds, Benton Animal Services spokesperson Matt Thibault told the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Officials told the newspaper that 14 dogs were euthanized in the wake of the incident. Investigators said they are looking into how the "sudden and tragic" attack unfolded.
For months, neighbors had complained about how out of control the problem with the pack of dogs had become — with many reporting to Saline County officials that they would sometimes run loose throughout the area.
However, county officials had told upset residents on multiple occasions that there was nothing they could do. The Saline County Sheriff's Office is now investigating the incident with the assistance of Benton animal control.
Fortner Remembered as 'The Kindest Soul'
Fortner, a high schooler at Bryant Public Schools, is remembered as a "beautiful, bright girl with the kindest soul," a GoFundMe set up for the 15-year-old revealed.
"Her smile could light up a room, and her laughter was the kind that made others feel instantly at ease," the fundraising page reads."She is deeply loved by her family, friends, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing her."
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