Maryland

Maryland Woman Apparently Mauled to Death by Recently Adopted Pit Bull

When emergency crews arrived, the dog was standing over the 64-year-old woman

What to Know

  • Robin Conway, 64, was found in her yard on Sept. 3 with "significant injuries," police said. Her dog stood over her.
  • Conway had adopted the dog that police described as a pit bull just two weeks earlier.
  • It wasn't immediately clear what breed the dog was, or from where Conway adopted it.

Police in Maryland are investigating whether a woman found dead in her backyard was mauled to death by a pit bull she had recently adopted.

Robin Conway died after she was found with "significant injuries" on Labor Day outside her home in Columbia, Maryland, Howard County police said Tuesday. A family member found Conway injured at the home on Tamar Drive about 7:20 p.m., police said. The dog was standing over her.

The family member tied up the dog and called 911. When police and paramedics arrived, the dog was "barking and lunging on the leash."

Conway was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 64.

Outside Conway's home, animal control officers subdued the animal. It was later euthanized. A necropsy of the dog will be performed to determine if it had rabies or other medical issues.

Conway had adopted the pit bull from out of state just two weeks earlier.

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A medical examiner will determine Conway's cause of death.

Animal control had not previously been called about any problems with the animal. Information on its breed and size was not released. Also, police said they do not have information on from where the pit bull was adopted.

The pit bull category of animals encompasses several breeds of muscular, block-headed dogs, including American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and American bulldogs.

Pit bulls are banned in neighboring Prince George's County, as well as in many apartment buildings and homeowners associations across the D.C. area. Entire rescue organizations in the region are devoted to finding homes for pit bulls.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.

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