WESTERN BUREAU:

Tragedy struck in the Vanzie Land community of Falmouth, Trelawny, early Tuesday morning when a 73-year-old woman was killed, reportedly by a pack of dogs that jumped the wall of their owner’s property.

The woman, who was physically challenged and walked with the assistance of a stroller, was identified by relatives as Cathlene Jump, a resident of Vanzie Land.

Reports are that about 6:30 a.m., residents heard screams of anguish a short distance away from Jump’s house. They found the body of Jump, whose clothes were partially ripped off, lying in a pool of blood on the roadway.

The body had several deep wounds.

An angry relative of the deceased woman told The Gleaner that it was clear that Jump was attacked by dogs, including pit bulls and a German shepherd.

Efforts by The Gleaner to contact the presumed owner of the dogs in question were unsuccessful.

The dogs’ owner was reportedly not at home at the time of the incident.

Personnel from the Falmouth Police Station processed the scene and supervised the removal of the body to Falmouth Hospital.

“When we went there, the body of the elderly woman was seen naked on the ground with blood all over her body. From observations, it is suspected that she was mauled by dogs,” Superintendent Winston Milton said.

The police have launched an investigation into her death.

The Dogs (Liability for Attacks) Act 2020 offers criminal penalties for the owners of dogs who attack, injure, or kill persons. The maximum fine is $3 million.

Dog attacks, including by pit bulls, are not uncommon in Jamaica.

There have been many calls over the years for the banning of pit bulls in Jamaica, a call that has been resisted by Pamela Lawson, managing director of the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

She said that dog owners must be held responsible for the actions of their dogs.