38-year-old South Carolina mother of three had to have both arms amputated and part of her colon removed after she was horribly mauled by three pit bulls: dog owner arrested
- Kaileen Waltman, 38, a South Carolina mother of three, is fighting for her life after she was mauled by three pit bulls on Monday while walking home along Honea Road.
- A witness saw Waltman being attacked in a ditch and was able to scare off the vicious dogs by firing his gun into the air.
- Waltman had both arms removed up to her shoulder and lost part of her colon – she may have had part of her esophagus and leg removed.
- ‘If not [the passer-by], my sister wouldn’t be here,” said Waltman’s sister, Shanna Green. “By then, they couldn’t even tell who she was.”
- The dog’s owner, Justin Minor, was arrested Wednesday and released on $15,000 bail. He faces three charges of possession of a dangerous animal.
A South Carolina mother-of-three amputated both arms to her shoulder, lost part of her colon and is fighting for her life after being attacked by three pit bulls on Monday.
Kaileen Waltman, 38, was mauled by animals as she walked home along Ball Road around 10:30 am Monday in Honea Pat, about 80 miles northwest of Colombia.
Police said a witness saw Waltman being attacked in a ditch and was able to scare off the dogs by firing his gun into the air. Waltman was then airlifted to Prisma Health Greenville Hospital with severe injuries, where she remains in critical condition.
She has had multiple surgeries and is planning more, according to a GoFundMe set up for her medical care, which has raised $78,892 as of Saturday morning. She may need to have her esophagus removed and one leg amputated.
‘If not [the passer-by]”My sister won’t be here,” Waltman’s sister Shanna Green told news outlets. “By that time, they couldn’t even tell who she was.”
Kaileen Waltman, 38, was mauled by three pit bulls as she walked home on Monday at Honea Path. She has had both of her arms amputated and part of her colon removed, and she faces several more surgeries as she fights for her life in the hospital.
Waltman, pictured prior to the attack, has had multiple surgeries and is scheduled for more. She may need to have her esophagus removed and one leg amputated.
Dog owner Justin Minor (pictured was arrested and charged with three counts of possession of a dangerous animal that attacked and injured a person, a violation of rabies control, and a dangerous animal that is prohibited from leaving the premises unless restricted)
She didn’t deserve this. She was a good person. She helped everyone.
Two days after the attack, dog owner Justin Minor was arrested and charged with three counts of owning a dangerous animal that attacked and injured a person, violating rabies control, and not allowing a dangerous animal off the premises if it unlimited, according to the state.
Waltman’s sister said she woke up after several surgeries, but “it’s not her.”
Possession of a dangerous animal carries a $5,000 fine or a three-year prison sentence.
He was released on $15,000 bail Thursday after tearfully appearing in court before Magistrate Susan Gladden, and will reappear May 6.
It was not immediately clear why Minor’s dogs ended up on the street. Local news outlets photographed “Beware of Dogs” signs around Minor’s property.
The dogs were detained by Abbeville County Animal Control and the Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the attack.
The Waltman sisters want to bring Minor to justice for the attack that changed a woman’s life forever.
“It could have been avoided,” said Waltman’s other sister, Amy Wynn.
“If the dogs were locked up, or if the dogs were chained up, or if they were never around, this would never have happened.”
Local news outlets photographed “Beware of Dogs” signs around Minor’s property. It is not clear why the dogs roamed the street
The dogs were detained by Abbeville County Animal Control and the Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the attack.
Wynn said that Waltman woke up after several surgeries, but “it’s not her.”
“All of her behavior, everything about her has changed,” Wynn told WYFF 4. “Knowing Kaileen, she won’t want to live. She doesn’t want to live like this. She has too much pride to rely on anyone else.
“This is the most horrible thing I have ever seen.”