Mother and Son Ignored Repeated Warnings About Aggressive Pit Bulls Before They Mauled Elderly Neighbor to Death

Mar. 15, 2025

Susan Withers (left) and son Adam Withers.Photo:Pickaway County Jail (2)

Pickaway County Jail (2)

A mother and son whose two dogs mauled an elderly neighbor to death have been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, according to multiple news reports.

Per theDispatch, one of the pit bulls was officially declared a dangerous dog in October 2023 after killing a neighbor’s dog. Citing authorities, the outlet also reports that Adam pleaded guilty to a disorderly conduct charge weeks before Echelbarger’s death after police found him acting erratically with the dogs.

Defense attorneys for the mother and son said there wasn’t sufficient evidence or testimony to prove their clients had let the dogs out of the home,WKEFreports. Both Susan and Adam are expected to be sentenced at a later date.

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“My office is hopeful that these convictions will allow the family of Jo Ann Echelbarger to find some peace,” Pickaway County Prosecutor Jayme Hartley Fountain said in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday, Feb. 18. “We are very thankful for the work law enforcement put into this case to aid our office in obtaining the convictions.”

In a statement shared after the verdict, attorneys for Echelbarger’s estate, which is filing a civil case, said “we must recognize that this tragedy should never have happened in the first place,” according to WKEF.

“The failure to intervene cost Jo Ann Echelbarger her life,” the attorneys added, per the outlet. “We demand accountability beyond this courtroom to prevent another senseless loss.”

source: people.com