In a tragic incident in early September, an Oklahoma woman, Janelle Scott, was severely attacked by a pit bull while on a bike ride with her boyfriend in her hometown of Okmulgee. The unexpected attack resulted in Scott having both her arms and legs amputated due to the severity of her injuries.
The pit bull, which had been left unattended after its owner was incarcerated, charged at Scott and her boyfriend, knocking Scott off her bike and causing significant injuries. Her boyfriend, in an attempt to protect her, was forced to kill the dog in self-defense. Another pit bull was present at the scene, but there was no evidence to suggest it was involved in the attack.
The dogs were under the care of a friend of Scott’s at the time of the incident, as per the Okmulgee Police Department. The dogs resided in a nearby trailer that had reportedly been broken into that day, possibly leading to their escape.
Scott’s mother, Cheryl, recounted the horrifying incident, explaining that her daughter was familiar with the dogs. She was heading towards the friend’s residence, which required passing through a wooded area, when the dogs attacked her.
Upon arrival, the responding officers found Scott with severe injuries. She was immediately rushed to the hospital, where she has been receiving treatment since the incident. Initially, it was anticipated that Scott would only lose her right arm, which was severely damaged. However, due to the extent of her injuries, doctors were compelled to amputate both her arms and legs.
Despite the devastating circumstances, Scott’s mother expressed admiration for her daughter’s resilience. She shared that her daughter continues to fight, even as doctors contemplate further amputations. Cheryl remains hopeful, believing that her daughter has a purpose and will find a way to overcome this ordeal.
The family has set up a GoFundMe to help cover the mounting medical expenses, which has raised nearly $19,000 as of Thursday evening. The next steps for Scott include assessing her remaining limbs to determine if they can support prosthetics.