Pit bull kills owner after she tried to save her mom from attack

A South Carolina woman has been killed by her pet pit bull after she stepped in to stop it attacking her mother.
Porsche 'Nicole' Cartee, 25, suffered fatal injuries to her head and body when she tried to fend off the dog.

Jamie Nelson, director of Spartanburg County Environmental Enforcement, said the attack occurred at a residence on Beverly Hills Drive. Nelson said the dog attacked three people.

Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said Porsche Nicole Cartee, was pronounced dead at the scene. Clevenger said statements from witnesses indicate Cartee suffered trauma to her body during the attack.

On Sunday, Clevenger said an examination revealed the cause of death to be dog bites to the head and body.

Clevenger identified the dog as a pit bull and said two other family member were injured in the incident.

Nelson called it a "horrific" attack. He said Cartee and her sister were pulling the dog off of Cartee's mother. That's when the dog turned on Cartee and killed her.

Her sister and mother both suffered injuries to their arms from the attack. The mother had surgery the night of the attack, according to Nelson.


Cartee treated Spike like her baby

He said the male dog, named Spike, was 7 to 10 years old.

Despite an allegation that the dog had previously attacked Cartee's mother and put her in the hospital, Nelson said that there no record about the dog attacking anyone prior to the fatal attack on Saturday.

Nelson said they are not sure why the dog began attacking the mother. He said possibilities include that the dog was set off when he heard a loud or high pitch noise, or simply snapped for no explicable reason.

The dog has been euthanized.

Nelson said test results from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control have revealed that Spike did not have rabies.

Nelson said there is no evidence to warrant any charges related to the deadly attack as of Tuesday afternoon.

Calling it a "tragedy," Nelson said the investigation should be complete Wednesday.

Porsche Cartee's ex-boyfriend, Patrick Powell, spoke with FOX Carolina.

Powell said were together for almost 10 years before splitting up a month ago.

He said he was in Florida when he learned that Cartee had been killed.

Powell said the dog snapped and attacked Cartee's mother before Cartee threw herself in the middle and told everyone to run, while she was mauled.

He said he doesn't know why guns in the home weren't used after the attack.

Powell said the dog belonged to Cartee's mother and had been in the family since it was a puppy.
He claimed that the dog had attacked Cartee's mother two months before the fatal attack.

Powell wanted to euthanize the dog, but said Cartee's mother refused to put it down.
"This was preventable... The dog was very aggressive," Powell said.

Cartee's immediate family members declined to comment.

However, a cousin said he also has lived with the dog. He confirmed that the dog did bit Cartee's mom, but said her injuries were not bad.

He said the dog was not aggressive.



Fox Carolina