A 23-year-old college student has died after being mauled by three pit bulls she was caring for at a home in Texas.
Madison Riley Hull was attacked in the backyard of a residence in Smith County on Friday afternoon.
The Smith County Sheriff’s Office responded after a neighbor called 911, but by the time deputies arrived at the Tyler home, the dogs had already attacked Hull, according to KYTX.
Officers found Hull lying on the ground in the backyard. When one deputy attempted to reach her, the dogs allegedly turned on him, WTOC-11 reported.
Sergeant Larry Christian, public information officer for the Smith County Sheriff’s Department, said that when the three dogs shifted their focus toward the responding officers, they had to defend themselves.
“All three of them started coming towards [an officer] and he un-holstered his service weapon and fired at one of the dogs,” Sergeant Christian said.
One of the dogs died from the gunshot wound.
The sound of the gunfire scared off the remaining two dogs, allowing officers to remove Hull from the backyard.
She was critically injured and died a short time later.
The deputy who fired his weapon suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital, according to WFAA.
Hull’s mother, Jennifer Hubbell, said she was devastated when she received the news of her daughter’s death.
“I just dropped to my knees,” she said.
“I am shattered in a way I didn’t know a human being could break.”
Hubbell described her daughter as “love, light, kindness and laughter,” adding that Hull “loved life with her whole heart and moved through the world with a free spirit that lifted and guided her.”
She also said her daughter had recently noticed a change in the dogs’ behavior before the attack.
“She said that they hadn’t always been that way,” Hubbell recalled.
Hull, an experienced dog-sitter and animal lover, had previously babysat the family’s children for extended periods. Hubbell said her daughter believed looking after the family’s dogs “would be an ok situation.”
It is not yet clear whether Hull was also caring for the children at the time of the attack. Authorities said the dogs’ owners were out of town during the incident.
Hull was just six months away from completing her bachelor’s degree at the University of Texas. She was specializing in early childhood education, inspired by her younger brother, who has autism.
“Her K-3rd grade students adored her,” Hubbell said. “She had a gift for making every child feel safe, special and loved. Madison’s heart was made for that work,” she added.
Hubbell has launched an online fundraiser in her daughter’s memory, which has received strong support from the community. In just three days, more than $13,500 has been donated.
A court hearing regarding the two surviving pit bulls has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 26.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
