Barrow County teenager remains hospitalized after dog attack

By AccessWDUN Staff

Posted 2:49PM on Tuesday 4th August 2020 ( 4 years ago )

A 15-year-old girl remains hospitalized in critical condition after she was attacked by dogs in a Barrow County neighborhood on Friday, July 31.

The girl has been identified by various media outlets as Joslyn Stinchcomb, a rising freshman at Winder Barrow High School. The girl's family has posted social media updates on her ordeal since her attack. They also told Barrow County Sheriff's officials that it wasn't unlike Stinchcomb to listen to music with her earbuds while walking around their neighborhood on Graham Crossing.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said they received a call around 4:30 p.m. that at least one dog was mauling a child. When first responders arrived, they saw what Smith described as a "horrific, horrific, traumatic scene. Two pit bulls were mauling this child." One of the deputies screamed and an EMT blasted the ambulance horn to distract the dogs. "One of the dogs starts inching towards the deputy and he shoots the dog," Smith said. Both dogs ran off after hearing the gunshot and into a house.

Smith said as another deputy arrived on scene, the EMTs determined the victim needed to be life-flighted, so a deputy drove the ambulance to a local hospital while EMTs worked on the girl in the back of the truck until she could be life-flighted to Emory Hospital in Atlanta.

Smith described the girl's condition as "grave" and that she will have a lot of injuries to overcome. She reportedly suffered critical injuries to her head and neck and has already undergone multiple surgeries.

As for the dogs, Smith described them as both male and both "full-blood pit bull" type dogs. Both dogs are now deceased.

"The dog that was shot was put down that day based on the injuries it sustained, Animal Control assisted with that and having the dog checked for rabies," Smith said. "The second dog was put down yesterday (Monday) and has been sent off to check for rabies as well, which is normal proceedure when a dog attacks in this kind of situation."

In order for any animal, including a domestic pet, to be tested for rabies, it must be euthanized, according to the Centers for Disease Control. More about rabies testing can be found on the CDC website.

Smith said the owner, Alex Torregrossa, did cooperate with law enforcement. She was arrested for reckless conduct and was cited by Animal Control with one count of shots not up to date for one of the dogs, two counts of biting and attacking and two counts of animals at large. She was booked into jail and has since bonded out. Smith said Torregrossa was not home at the time of the incident.

"Based on our investigation, the dogs had pried their way, or pushed their way, to an open door at the back of the house," said Smith. "The 15-year-old victim was walking two driveways up from where this happened, no indication that the dogs were provoked in any way by Joslyn or any one else in the neighborhood, so they attacked her unprovoked."

In February, Smith said a neighbor called about the dogs roaming, however Torregrossa was able to bring them back inside before Animal Control officers arrived, and was not available when they followed up the next day. Otherwise, Smith said they had no other reported incidents of aggressive behavoir from the dogs.

Smith confirmed there is a "leash law" or restraint ordinance in Barrow County, as well as a requirement to vaccinate all domestic pets over three months of age against rabies annually.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/8/926038/barrow-county-teenager-remains-hospitalized-after-dog-attack