Friday, February 5, 2016

Witness in Michigan: Woman did not commit "suicide by dog"; she was pulled to her death by pit bull

MICHIGAN -- A Port Huron man told police he was in his kitchen Dec. 3 when he saw a woman climb his neighbor's fence and be pulled into the yard by a pit bull.

The Times Herald used the Freedom of Information Act to get a copy of the police report of Rebecca Hardy's death.


"(Name redacted) states he did observe a white female, that was later identified as HARDY to be at the fence of his neighbors (redacted) and (redacted) property. (Redacted) states that he did observe the brown Pit Bull and the white Husky to be outside barking at HARDY as she was at the fence. (Redacted) states that he then observed HARDY to climb the fence and have one leg over the fence onto (redacted) and (redacted) property.

"(Redacted) states that as HARDY was on the fence, the brown Pit Bull, named King, grabbed HARDY by the leg area and pulled her on the ground," according to the police report on the fatal mauling of the 22-year-old Port Huron woman.


The witness told police he ran to the residence at 1721 10th St. and yelled for the owners of the dogs.

The man told police he yelled at the pit bull, which stopped attacking for a moment. The man said he thought the dog was going to attack him, but it returned after Hardy. He told investigators a white husky that was in the yard went after Hardy's foot.

The owner then came out and hit the pit bull with a 2-by-4 to end the attack and then took the dogs into the house.

No charges have been filed in the case. St. Clair County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Steve Guilliat said the formal review of the case will happen once the autopsy report is completed.

The autopsy report is awaiting a final signature.

Hardy was taken to a local hospital then flown to a Royal Oak hospital following the attack. Because she died of her injuries in Oakland County, that medical examiner's office is handling the case.

Dr. Ljubisa Dragovic, Oakland County's chief medical examiner, said the report was taken to the doctor who performed the autopsy, who has been out on medical leave.


As of Thursday morning, he did not believe it had been signed and finalized.

The autopsy results have come with controversy; Hardy's manner of death was ruled suicide.

Toxicology results showed Hardy had alcohol and marijuana in her system and traces of cocaine.

The attack resulted in extensive injuries to Hardy, including the loss of both ears, a portion of her nose and an eye, according to the police report. Her carotid artery had been severed, the trachea was damaged, her cervical spine broken and there was possible damage to the jugular.

Interviews included in the police report state Hardy was not acting normal leading up to the attack. Those interviewed said Hardy had a history of substance abuse and had been suicidal in the past. She had been arrested on a charge of drunken driving in Huron County about a week prior to her death.


Hardy's boyfriend, who has a daughter with Hardy, told police they had an argument before the attack over her being "messed up." The boyfriend told police he believed she had been abusing cough and cold medicine.

"During the argument, he told her 'Get out,' which were the last words he said and then she left the residence," the police report says.


He told police it was shortly after that he saw the ambulance and heard the commotion about a block away.

"He stated he did not know why HARDY would walk that way, because she knows the dog who did this is very mean," the report reads.

The pit bull and husky, along with puppies at the home, were euthanized following the attack with the owners' consent.

(Freep.com - Feb 4, 2016)

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