Orlando woman arrested after pit bulls attack 9-year-old, officials say: ‘The dogs could have killed (my) son’

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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - An Orlando woman was arrested after three of her dogs, which have previously been declared dangerous by animal officials, ran out of her house and attacked a 9-year-old boy who was walking down the street with his family, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Ashley Bearden was charged with attack by a dangerous dog, a third degree felony, after the incident that happened April 8. She was arrested Tuesday on a warrant that was filed in August. The 39-year-old woman was avoiding law enforcement for months after the dog attack, according to court records obtained by FOX 35 News. She also allegedly refused to surrender her dogs upon lawful demand.

On April 8, a 9-year-old boy was walking home from a nearby car dealership with his dad and brother when three pit bull dogs ran out of a house in the 20 block of South McKinley Avenue, according to arrest documents. The family was walking back to their car parked on the street; the boy was "walking a little behind" his dad at the time of the attack.

Three women came out of the house when the dogs ran outside, records show. One woman picked up the 9-year-old while the other two tried to stop the dog attack.

Photo: Orange County Corrections

"I was waiting for my dad to go to the car and while I was playing in the street and 3 dogs attacked me," an officer wrote in a statement on behalf of the 9-year-old boy.

Once they were able to get away, the dad rushed his son to a local hospital for treatment. Officials said the boy received "multiple full mouth bites" to his right side, left leg and buttocks. The latter required sutures. Emergency room staff said the bites were "bad," according to court records.

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At the hospital, the boy's father said he wanted to fill out a statement because he "wanted the dog owner to be held responsible for what happened because the dogs could have killed his son," documents said.

Animal services officers discovered that the dog owner, later identified as Bearden, had previous priors, according to the report. In November 2022, Bearden's dogs were declared dangerous after a bite incident which resulted in severe injury.

Under Florida law, if a dog that has previously been declared dangerous attacks and causes severe injury to any human, the owner is guilty of a felony of the third degree, the court records said. Furthermore, the dog shall be immediately confiscated by animal control, placed in quarantine, if necessary, and destroyed in an expeditious and humane manner. The 10-day quarantine period allows the owner to request a hearing for appeal.

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Photos of the dogs from the previous incident were shown to the 9-year-old boy and his family, who all were able to ID the dogs from the attack as Bearden's dogs, Blue, Nala and Bruiser, the report said. Bearden's fourth dog was not involved in the attack and did not try to attack anyone, according to officials.

This sparked an investigation, which also called for animal services officers to make a trip to Bearden's home to impound the three dogs for quarantine pending a dangerous dog investigation. Bearden, however, was unable to be reached at her home for over weeks after the attack.

A warrant for Bearden's arrest was filed on Aug. 22 and it was executed on Tuesday. According to arrest records, Bearden was released after posting $1,000 bond. Bearden's arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 30.

Orange County News Crime and Public Safety Central Florida News