Ohio grandmother killed by pit bulls while gardening

A lawsuit has been filed after an Ohio grandmother, Jo Ann Echelbarger, was killed by two pit bulls while gardening. The tragic incident occurred on October 17, 2023, at a residential complex in Ashville, Ohio. According to the lawsuit, the pit bulls, named Apollo and Echo, had a history of aggressive behavior and had gotten into cocaine weeks before the attack. The lawsuit claims that Echelbarger faced significant pain and suffering during the attack, which was recorded on video. Echelbarger, 73, had moved to the complex just a few months before her death and had a lifelong fear of dogs. The police had to shoot the dogs to stop the attack, but one of the dogs continued to attack her even after being shot. The lawsuit states that the dogs had previously been involved in violent incidents, including an attack on another resident's dog. The lawsuit accuses the residential complex and the local Dog Warden of failing to protect Echelbarger. The attorney representing her family believes that these failures led to Echelbarger’s death. Both owners of the dogs, Susan and Adam Withers, were arrested following the incident.