DARKE COUNTY — An 83-year-old woman is dead after being attacked by three dogs outside a neighbor’s home in Darke County on Monday.
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Mildred Malott was pronounced dead in the 4700 block of Clapp Road following an 11:24 a.m. 911 call reporting an unresponsive person in the driveway.
Malott walked to her next-door neighbor’s home to ask about chickens she found near her property earlier that morning, according to the Darke County Sheriff’s Office.
As she walked to the back of the residence to knock on the door, three dogs immediately attacked her near the entrance deck.
The property owners were identified as Scott and Pennie Royer.
Pennie was awakened by barking or noise and discovered Malott on the ground near the deck and house entrance.
She alerted her husband, and the couple secured the dogs inside before calling 911.
The Royers owned five mixed-breed dogs, all of which were properly licensed, with no prior documented complaints or issues reported to authorities, the sheriff’s office said.
Scott had let three of the dogs outside shortly before the incident occurred.
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The Darke County Dog Warden initially seized all five dogs, later returning the two that remained inside during the attack while keeping the three involved animals in custody.
Darke County detectives investigated the scene alongside the dog warden and submitted their findings to the Darke County Prosecutor.
The Royers were cited with a third-degree misdemeanor under Ohio Revised Code 955.22 for a vicious dog act violation.
State law holds dog owners liable for unprovoked attacks by their animals on their own property, including incidents involving neighbors, visitors, or delivery drivers.
Authorities will file documents with the Darke County Municipal Court to officially designate the three dogs involved in the attack as vicious dogs under Ohio law.
We will continue to follow this story.