A man nearby witnessed the attack and called law enforcement, who arrived to find "Kyleen lying muddy in a ditch" with "severe lacerations" to her neck and missing her "right arm tricep," according to the complaint.
A South Carolina woman who had both arms amputated as a result of the "horrific injuries" she says she suffered after being mauled by three dogs is now suing the county for gross negligence.
The dogs "viciously attacked" Kyleen Waltman on March 21, 2022 "suddenly and without any provocation whatsoever" as she walked down the street in Abbeville County, according to a lawsuit filed last month in the Court of Common Pleas and obtained by Inside Edition Digital.
A man nearby witnessed the attack and called police, who arrived to find "Kyleen lying muddy in a ditch" with "severe lacerations" to her neck and missing her "right arm tricep," according to the complaint.
A helicopter then airlifted Waltman to a local hospital where "both of her arms had to be amputated because of the severity of the injuries," according to the complaint.
Waltman now alleges that the Abbeville County Animal Services knew the dogs presented a threat to public safety and did nothing to mitigate the risk of an attack.
The complaint alleges that there were at least two reports made to Abbeville County Animal Services about the dogs in the year before Waltman's attack.
In February 2021, one resident allegedly called to say that he was concerned about his father's safety because the dogs would sometimes come into his yard, according to the complaint,
"Abbeville County Animal Services responded by leaving a door hanger at 154 Ball Road. No other investigation or follow up was done," says the complaint.'
Then, on Dec, 25, 2021, the dogs allegedly attacked a man according to the complaint.
Roy Ashley allegedly "feared for his life" after being "bitten in his upper thigh area and taken to the ground by the dogs," says the complaint. "He somehow managed to fight them off and make it back to his car."
The complaint alleges that Ashley then went to the hospital to seek treatment for his injuries where a nurse contacted Abbeville County Animal Services to report the attack
"Following the attack on Roy Ashley, Abbeville County Animal Services officer Jessica Bridges responded to [owner's home] and spoke with a gentleman and lady at the residence. Both of them denied owning large dogs at the property," says the complaint.
Abbeville County allegedly "failed to return to the property to inquire further, failed to send written correspondence, failed to investigate who actually lived at [the owner's home], failed to interview neighbors or potential other witnesses, failed to coordinate with the Sheriff’s Office for assistance, and failed to follow up with Roy Ashley to ascertain if he had any additional information," in the wake of that visit according to the complaint.
The complaint alleges that "Abbeville County and its employees and agents, acting within the scope of their employment were grossly negligent" in the following ways:
- Failing to properly investigate the prior complaints made about [the owner's] vicious dogs;
- Failing to properly train its employees on how to properly investigate reports of vicious dogs;
- Failing to follow state law and county ordinances regarding dangerous dogs;
- Failing to properly supervise employees in their investigations and handling of reports regarding dangerous dogs;
- Failing to properly staff the Animal Services Department so that reports of dangerous dogs could be properly handled;
- Failing to otherwise use due care in protecting the Plaintiff and those in the area from the vicious dogs
Court records show that misdemeanor charges were filed against the owner of the dogs after the attack. The dogs, who were not up to date on their rabies vaccines when they attacked Waltman, were ultimately put down according to Abbeville County Animal Services.
Waltman is now seeking damages to be determined at a jury trial, writing in her complaint that she "suffered great and permanent physical harm and injury, great and permanent mental harm and injury, emotional distress, and a loss of enjoyment of life" because of the attack.
She also says in her complaint that her injuries will also "in the future cause her to spend money for treatment services."
Waltman ultimately spent seven weeks in the hospital recovering from her injuries, and a GoFundMe started by her sister raised over $360,000 towards her hospital costs.
A representative for the county and Waltman's lawyers did not respond to a request for comment.
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