A pregnant woman in Topeka, Kansas suffered life-altering injuries following a brutal attack by a pit bull on 17 July. Audrey Suarez, who was 24 weeks into her pregnancy with twins, was walking through an apartment complex when the incident occurred.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/audrey-suarez-pregnant-dog-attack-072626-f63934a5067b4aa581b5892f906c630d.jpg)
According to local news outlet WIBW 13, the attack took place as a dispute erupted among three individuals nearby. During the altercation, a six-year-old boy let two dogs out, resulting in one of them targeting Suarez. Her boyfriend, C.J. Austin, recounted the horrifying scene, describing the extent of Suarez’s injuries, stating, “Her face was hanging off; it was horrible.”
In her attempt to protect her unborn children, Suarez reportedly covered her stomach during the attack. In the process, she sustained significant facial injuries and a broken pinky finger. The couple has created a GoFundMe page, which has raised over £1,700 to help cover her medical expenses. “All she could think about was covering her stomach, so the dog wouldn’t get to her stomach and hurt the twins,” Austin told WIBW.
Although Suarez survived the attack, the physical and emotional scars remain. She has undergone multiple surgeries, including a 10-hour procedure to repair the extensive damage to her face and an additional four-hour surgery on her eye, which she very nearly lost as a result of the brutal incident.
Austin acknowledged the bravery of a bystander who intervened during the attack. The man suffered minor injuries while trying to rescue Suarez, with Austin expressing gratitude, stating, “If it wasn’t for the gentleman — our friend who stepped in — he said the dogs would have killed her.”
In the aftermath, the Topeka Police shot and killed the attacking dog after it exhibited aggressive behaviour towards an officer. The second dog involved in the incident has been taken into custody by Animal Control. The owner of the dogs has not been named in reports, but she has claimed her pets were only acting in defence of her son when they attacked Suarez.
“They were protecting my six-year-old son while they were jumping me, and nobody else was helping me,” she said, defending her dogs’ actions. This statement has drawn attention as it raises questions about accountability in dog attacks.
The Topeka Police Department has opened an investigation into the incident, scrutinising the circumstances surrounding the altercation and the actions of the dog owners. In an emotional reflection, Austin shared the lasting impact of the attack on Suarez’s life. “You just mess somebody’s whole life up,” he lamented. “She’s going to be scarred for the rest of her life. She has nightmares of that dog attacking her. She wakes up in the middle of the night screaming.”
The case has sparked discussions about dog safety and the responsibilities of pet owners, particularly concerning aggressive breeds. As the community rallies around Suarez and her family, many are calling for stricter regulations governing potentially dangerous dogs.
Suarez’s condition remains critical as she continues her recovery, receiving support from friends and family during this challenging time. As the investigation unfolds, many in Topeka and beyond are left hoping for justice and seeking to understand the events that led to such a traumatic experience for a mother-to-be and her unborn children.
The local community is closely following developments in this case, with many expressing their wishes for a swift recovery for Suarez and her twins. Families across the region are reminded of the potential dangers posed by unrestrained dogs, particularly in populated areas.