The family of an Ohio grandmother killed by drugged pitbulls in October is seeking justice. JoAnn Echelbarger, 73, died tragically while gardening at her Ashville home last fall.
The incident occurred while Echelbarger was working in her yard, when her neighbor’s two pit bulls, Echo and Apollo, viciously attacked her mother and grandmother.
Jo Ann’s husband couldn’t help her because he was wheelchair-bound and had dementia. It was later discovered that the dogs had cocaine in their systems at the time of the attack.
Due to the dogs’ violent nature, the police eventually shot and killed them. According to Express, one of them even continued to attack after being shot.
Following an investigation, it was discovered that the pit bulls had been drugged with their owners’ cocaine, which is likely what caused the Ohio grandmother’s tragic death.
Jo Ann Echelbarger’s family is pursuing justice against her neighbors, Susan Withers and her son, Adam Withers.
Before Jo Ann’s death, there were multiple complaints about the dogs from the homeowner’s association.
One resident, Kimberlee Black, says that the dogs even killed her puppy in October 2023. Finally, a judge ordered that the dogs be removed. However, just weeks later, Echelbarger was dead.
Family Of Ohio Woman Killed By Drugged Pitbulls Files Lawsuit
Following the attack, Susan and Adam were both convicted of involuntary manslaughter. However, Echelbarger’s family claims that the neglect extends beyond the owners of the dogs. It also includes the dog warden and the association of the condominium where Jo Ann and her husband lived (via Fox 8).
“Make no mistake, this was a senseless and preventable tragedy,” Rex Elliott, the attorney representing Echelbarger’s family, said. “Had the dog warden, the condominium association, or the property management company done their jobs, Jo Ann would be alive and with her family today.”
The family has now filed a civil lawsuit in hopes of not only getting justice for their loved one, but also to see change and prevent other tragedies from happening in the future.
“My mom lost her life and it needs to mean something,” Jo Ann’s daughter, Earlene Romaine, said. “Something good needs to come of that and what that it is is change. Change that’s going to help somebody else. That’s what we want.”
“Such a brutal death in her own yard,” one reader commented on the article.
“Yes, sue EVERYONE involved in this senseless tragedy,” another suggested.
“So sad that this could have been avoided,” a third comment read.
The Ohio grandmother will never be forgotten by her family. However, after being killed by drugged pit bulls, the spotlight has been shone on responsible dog ownership and the dangers of uncontrolled animals. Jo Ann Echelberg’s family is now looking to make a change.
