On Friday, family members of a Dillon woman attacked and killed by two dogs said they forgive the animals’ owner.
Relatives said Sirlinda Hayes, 66, was standing in her yard when the Rottweilers attacked.
Dillon County Sheriff’s Capt. Cliff Arnette said it happened Thursday afternoon at a home on West Main Street. The dogs’ owner tried to help Hayes, but couldn’t control the dogs.
Arnette said the man who owns the dogs remains in the hospital.
Hayes’ family members said their thoughts and prayer are with him.
“There’s no bitterness at all,” said Melica Maunet, Hayes’ niece. “This is a community and we all treat each other as family. He tried to help.”
Arnette said it’s too early in the investigation to determine whether the dogs’ owner will face charges. Arnette said he isn’t aware of any prior complaints about the Rottweilers.
It’s the third fatal dog attack in Dillon County within the past six years.
A Latta man whose body was found in a home on Skillet Road on Nov. 18 was killed by the family’s pit bull, Arnette said.
Dillon County Deputy Coroner Randy Grimsley later identified the victim as Justin Lane.
The dog did not have an apparent history of violence and was later euthanized, Arnette said.
Matthew Davis was found dead Nov. 3, 2006, after six dogs attacked him in the driveway of Bentley Collins’ Home Light Road residence in the Emanuelville community in Dillon County.
A jury convicted Collins on Jan. 30, 2009, of one count of involuntary manslaughter and three counts of keeping unconfined dangerous animals in connection with the boy’s death. Circuit Court Judge Paul Burch sentenced Collins to five years in prison for the manslaughter charge and three years each for two of the three dangerous animals charges, which will run concurrent to the manslaughter sentence. The third of those charges was suspended to five years’ probation, which can be reduced to three years if he pays $8,000 in funeral expenses to Matthew’s family. He also isn’t allowed to own any canines.
Collins is appealing the sentence.
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