A 58-year-old mother had one of her daughter’s dogs on a leash as she was going out their home’s back door.
But as the mom did so, the dog named Amina pulled her down and began to attack, as seen in video footage obtained by an Ohio police department.
It is believed Bonnie Varnes was fatally attacked between 5:54 p.m. and 5:59 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, according to a report from the Toledo Police Department.
It wasn’t until 6:23 p.m. when authorities were called to check on Varnes, who was home alone, police said.
One of her neighbors had been smoking a cigarette near his second-story window when he saw her body in the yard as a dog ran around her, according to the incident report. He called Varnes’ friend and daughter to see if anyone was home, then he called 911 and went over to Varnes’ home.
Arriving officers found Varnes face down in her home’s backyard, which she shares with her daughter, authorities said. The woman was rushed to The University of Toledo Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 6:30 p.m.
Officers said they spoke with Varnes’ daughter, who reported arriving back home after getting a call from her neighbor. She said she owns two pit bulls — Poochie and Amina — who live at the home with them.
The daughter reported arriving home to find her mom covered in blood in their yard, according to the report. She said Amina was also covered in blood.
She locked Amina in the garage, and she put Poochie in a bedroom, police said. The daughter described Amina as vicious “at times.”
The last time Varnes and her daughter saw each other was at 8:30 a.m. the day of the attack, police said.
Varnes had most recently been with a friend at a bar before arriving home a few hours before she was pulled down and attacked, police said.
Varnes had worked as a bus driver with Washington Local Schools, WTVG reported.
“Bonnie worked for WLS for over 30 years and was a deeply loved, valued member of our transportation team,” the district said in a statement to the TV station. “We are (devastated) by this loss.”
A Lucas County dog warden has taken Amina into custody, police said.
“Obviously the family can choose to euthanize the dog. Or, if they don’t, we would deem the dog dangerous more than likely — that’s usually what happens — and then it’s up to the courts to decide the outcome,” Cassie Bloomfield with the Lucas County Canine Care and Control told WTVG.
The incident is being investigated as a non-criminal death, police said in the report.