Ohio Grandmother Mauled to Death by Pit Bulls High on Cocaine

Jo Ann Echelbarger was killed by her neighbor’s pit bulls as her husband, Stanley, watched helplessly.

An Ohio woman was fatally mauled by her neighbor’s pit bulls, which were later found to have ingested cocaine, according to a lawsuit filed by her family.

JoAnn Echelbarger, 73, was gardening outside her condominium in October when two pit bulls, Echo and Apollo, attacked her. The dogs, which were roaming freely in the common areas of the Ashton condominium complex, viciously mauled her as her husband, Stanley, who has dementia and was in a wheelchair, watched helplessly.

Echelbarger screamed for help as the attack lasted several minutes. According to the lawsuit, one of the dogs continued to attack even after police arrived and opened fire in an attempt to stop them.

Her daughter, Earlene Romine, described the attack as brutal and inhumane. "She did not deserve this. She was tortured, and she suffered," she said. "This is not what you expect your parent to go through. This is not what you expect to happen to anyone you love."

Toxicology reports later revealed that the dogs had tested positive for cocaine. Their owners, Adam Withers and his mother, Susan, were convicted of involuntary manslaughter last month in connection with the attack.

Adam and his mother, Susan Withers, were convicted of involuntary manslaughter over Echelbarger’s death.

The victim’s family has filed a lawsuit against the Witherses, the condominium association, and the county dog warden, alleging negligence and failure to address multiple warnings about the dogs' aggressive behavior. The lawsuit cites police body camera footage from a prior incident in which officers responded to reports that the pit bulls had ingested Adam Withers' cocaine just weeks before the deadly attack. Officers had expressed frustration at the time over the dog warden's lack of action.

Despite a prior order for the removal of the dogs, the pit bulls were allowed to remain at the condominium complex. The lawsuit claims that Adam Withers openly defied the order and taunted building management, referencing social media posts in which he defended his dogs and dismissed concerns about their behavior. One post stated, “Never ask a pit bull owner to choose between you and their pit bulls. Because they will choose, and it won’t be you.”

Officers had responded to a report that Echo and Apollo had ingested Adam Withers’ cocaine weeks before the attack.

Bill Rogers, Echelbarger’s son, criticized the failure to prevent the attack. “It’s reckless,” he said. “I feel like they were gambling with a lot of people’s lives that day, and she was the one who paid the price.”

The wrongful death lawsuit seeks compensatory damages exceeding $25,000 as well as punitive damages. Attorney Rex Elliot, representing the family, emphasized the responsibility of local authorities, stating, “They had a responsibility to take those dogs out of there.”