Woman Dies Weeks After Cop Shoots Guide Dog

theINDYchannel.com ^ | Thu Mar 4, 3:59 PM ET

[hookman]

A Madison County mother believes her daughter's death could have been prevented if an Anderson police officer had not shot her dog to death last month.

Andrea Hill, 26, died after suffering an epileptic seizure Saturday, RTV6's Jennifer Carmack reported.

Hill's mother, Linda Hall, said her medically trained black lab, Max, alerted her whenever her daughter was having a seizure.

"My dog wasn't here to let me know she had a seizure and she suffocated," Hall said.

Max was shot to death by an Anderson police officer Feb. 6. It all started when Hill's 6-year-old son didn't come home, so she called police to help with the search.

"When they first went to the house, there was a very vicious dog within the home," Anderson Deputy Chief Mark Yeskie said.

Hall said she put Max in a bedroom and left with another officer to look for her grandson, but when Officer Phil Allen re-entered the home to check for the child inside, police said Hill had opened the bedroom door, letting the dog out.

"Basically he came out and started attacking the officer. He got to the degree where he was growling, had his mouth open trying to bite the officer," Yeskie said. "You have an officer that's being viciously attacked by a 60-pound dog, and he had no choice."

According to the police report, the officer kicked the dog and shot it several times, Carmack reported, but Hall said the dog didn't pose a threat.

"He opened that door and he shot the dog in the face. The dog came at his shoe, but he didn't bite him. He didn't hurt him. He was getting at his shoe to try to get him to leave," Hall said.

Police said they were not told that the dog was medically trained.

"Through this entire incident we were never told anything special about this dog. It was a 60-pound black lab, is all we knew at the time," Yeskie said. "We're sorry for her death, for the destruction of the dog, but I think we reacted properly."

The Hall family said they are considering filing a lawsuit against the city and police department, Carmack reported.

"I explained to the officers when they came to interview us that the dog was a medical trained dog for epilepsy," Hall said. "If Max would have been alive, we wouldn't have buried my daughter today (Wednesday). Yes, I'm angry."

[hookman]

"Eulogy of The Dog"
beautiful.

[hershey]

I hope the family sues the police big time. Talk about stupid!

[Oztrich Boy]

the seizure might have occured due to neglect (mom not giving medicine on time, or mom letting daughter unobserved)...

Is there any wild accusation cop-suckers won't stoop to iuse?

[Ken H]

And do an autopsy to see why a person died of a simple seizure:

What is the basis for saying it was a simple seizure?

Andrea Hill, 26, died after suffering an epileptic seizure Saturday, RTV6's Jennifer Carmack reported.

[Ken H]

Medically trained dog? Sorry, I don't buy that. Dogs that are formally trained don't go around snapping and biting at people. They are chosen for their calm temperament.

Indeed, a dog "trained" to get help when a person has an epileptic attack would be no good if it attacked people who came to help the victim.... sounds like they trained the dog to attack strangers, and now want money...

If the family is lying about Max, they would not have a prayer in court. Their whole case depends on the claim that Max was a medically trained dog.

What would be your opinion of the events recounted in this article if it turns out that Max was indeed medically trained?

[Gigantor]

The police were just doing their jobs, following standard procedure. There is no record of any policeman ever vioating a citizen.























/sarcasm

[Gigantor]

"the dog should have been restrained."

Being behind a closed door wasn't enough, ha?

[america-rules]

"Ya, them Labs are one vicious breed. "

Come in to my house without me there and my 12 year old pure bred black lab will tear you ass up.

He's bitten 3 people over the years and is trained to protect the family !

All 3 bites were on people who tried to smack his nose because he barked at them.

He'll lick you to death after 30 seconds of knowing you if one of the family is there but watch out if we're not around because he'll tear you up !

[Gigantor]

You may have the book smarts to be a doctor, but you are severly lacking in the common sense department.

[hobbes1]

than it is to prove that any significant number of police officers wantonly shoot "anything that moves."

Tell that to Amadou Diallo.

[Skooz]

Welcome to FR

[Charlespg]

some people have no business with guns let a alone a badge

[freedumb2003]

You guys are just as bad as Jessie Jackson -- you second guess the cps every chance you get.

If a big ol' dog came after me, I would shoot it too.

Next time you need help, call Jessie Jackson or Al Sharpton.

[joesnuffy]

officer was in fear for his life...

Just a pat anti lawsuit answer...

[ActionNewsBill]

. It probably wasn't a trained dog. they would not have had to put a trained dog in a room to prevent it from biting a visitor. Why did they do that?

Probably so that the trigger-happy cops wouldn't shoot the dog.

Cops are trained to kill dogs as part of their oath ...you know , "to protect and serve".

Only thing is, they protect their own butts and serve no one but themselves.

The first thing the JBT's did at Waco was to shoot the dogs.

It seems like your local officer friendly has learned a lot from the Feds.

[yarddog]

I guess it would be possible to make a Lab mean but it would take a real pro.

I have owned several. The one I have now thinks everyone is his pal. Totally worthless as a watch dog except he might try to lick a burgler to death.

[Lurker]

I've seen far more cops who shouldn't have a badge let alone a gun than I have seen vicious dogs.

This cop should be fired and then sued into poverty.

L

[Goodgirlinred]

Dogs are very protective of their owners and their homes. It does not matter what breed they are. I have a 16 1/2 year old 26 pound Sheltie, and he still will chase a strange man back to his car if he gets near me. I also have a 3 1/2 year old Malamute/Husky/Lab mix who will get between me and any strange man who comes near me. He has pinned a man against my foyer wall, and it turned out that man had bad intentions.

Neither of my dogs has been trained to be attack dogs or guard dogs.