Arkansas Teenage Girl Mauled to Death as She Tried to Help 'Starving' Pack of Dogs Neglected by Their Owners
An Arkansas teen was fatally mauled by a pack of dogs as she tried to feed the malnourished canines left in neglect by their owners.
Makayla Fortner, 15, was killed in an enclosed area at a home in the community of Alexander, as she tried to care for around 30 starving dogs on Wednesday, June 11.
Fortner Had Been Trying to Help the Pack of Dogs After Learning About Their State of Neglect, was Trying to Find Them Permanent Homes
The teen and her mother, Stephanie Wilkie, was attempting to rescue the dogs after noticing their deteriorating condition, left to die by their owners. Fortner was also working to find them permanent homes, officials said.
Deputies from the Saline County Sheriff's Office said they were alerted to the attack around 12:15 p.m. Wednesday and arrived to find the teen already dead. With the assistance of Benton Animal Services, deputies seized multiple dogs from the property.
Dogs were a Mix of Pitbulls, Pitbull Crossbreeds, and Hounds; 14 of Them Euthanized in the Wake of the Attack
The dogs were a mix of pit bulls, pit bull crossbreeds, and hounds, Benton Animal Services spokesperson Matt Thibault told the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Officials told the newspaper that 14 dogs were euthanized in the wake of the incident. Investigators said they are looking into how the "sudden and tragic" attack unfolded.
For months, neighbors had complained about how out of control the problem with the pack of dogs had become — with many reporting to Saline County officials that they would sometimes run loose throughout the area.
However, county officials had told upset residents on multiple occasions that there was nothing they could do. The Saline County Sheriff's Office is now investigating the incident with the assistance of Benton animal control.
Fortner Remembered as 'The Kindest Soul'
Fortner, a high schooler at Bryant Public Schools, is remembered as a "beautiful, bright girl with the kindest soul," a GoFundMe set up for the 15-year-old revealed.
"Her smile could light up a room, and her laughter was the kind that made others feel instantly at ease," the fundraising page reads."She is deeply loved by her family, friends, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing her."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
International Business Times
5 days ago
- International Business Times
Who Was Arthur Folasa Ah Loo? Project Runway Star Shot Dead During Crossfire at Anti-Trump 'No Kings' Day Rally in Utah
A Project Runway star was killed after a man pulled out a rifle during an anti-Trump protest in Utah on Saturday. Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was struck by official peacekeepers during Saturday's No Kings protest in Salt Lake City. The incident occurred after peacekeepers spotted another protester, Arturo Gamboa, 24, pulling out a gun at the crowd. The peacemakers ordered Gamboa to put down the weapon but he did not comply. As Gamboa charged toward the crowd with his rifle raised in a firing position, the peacekeeping unit responded by opening fire. Ah Loo was unintentionally hit in the chaos situation and the gunshot hit him and killed him. Death in Crossfire The fashion designer, who is survived by his wife and two young children, later died at a nearby hospital, officials confirmed on Sunday. Police arrested the suspected gunman on Saturday evening on a murder charge, though investigators are still unsure what prompted him to pull out a rifle. Ah Loo, originally from Samoa, had recently become a U.S. citizen and cast his first vote in the 2024 election. He joined the No Kings protest because he "believed everyone was deserving the basic human rights," Utah Representative Verona Mauga told KSL-TV. Ah Loo, loving known as "Afa", was a husband, father of two, and a fashion designer who proudly embraced his Samoan roots, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help his family. He founded Creative Pacific, an event designed to celebrate Pacific Islander culture through workshops, art, and a fashion runway. Ah Loo was also a contestant on Season 17 of the reality TV show Project Runway. The peacekeeper involved, wearing a neon green vest, fired three rounds from a handgun at Gamboa, causing him a minor injury but tragically striking and killing Ah Loo. Authorities have not revealed the peacekeeper's identity. Family and Friend Devastated Utah Rep. Verona Mauga told the TV station that Ah Loo, an innocent bystander at Saturday's rally, was with friends when gunfire erupted. The shooting created panic among the crowd, with hundreds of demonstrators fleeing—many ducking behind barriers or running into parking garages and nearby stores, according to a police statement. "That's a gun. Come on, come on, get out," someone can be heard shouting in a video posted to social media that appears to show the events. Mauga added that the designer's friends began to suspect something was wrong when they couldn't reach him after the chaos broke out. "Afa is a person who believed in equity and equality for all people and all communities," she said. "That's why he was there. He was with his community and he was with people he cared about, marching and rallying for all of those things that make our community, like, really great." The shooter and another person wearing a neon vest allegedly spotted Gamboa breaking away from the group of protesters in downtown Salt Lake City around 8 p.m. on Saturday, police said. He reportedly moved behind a wall and pulled out a rifle. Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said that when the two vest-wearing men confronted Gamboa with their handguns drawn, Gamboa raised the rifle into a shooting stance and charged toward the crowd. At that point, one of the men fired three shots, striking both Gamboa and Ah Loo. SWAT medics quickly began life-saving efforts on Ah Loo before firefighters and paramedics took over. The medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of Ah Loo's death.
International Business Times
5 days ago
- International Business Times
Arkansas Teenage Girl Mauled to Death as She Tried to Help 'Starving' Pack of Dogs Neglected by Their Owners
An Arkansas teen was fatally mauled by a pack of dogs as she tried to feed the malnourished canines left in neglect by their owners. Makayla Fortner, 15, was killed in an enclosed area at a home in the community of Alexander, as she tried to care for around 30 starving dogs on Wednesday, June 11. Fortner Had Been Trying to Help the Pack of Dogs After Learning About Their State of Neglect, was Trying to Find Them Permanent Homes The teen and her mother, Stephanie Wilkie, was attempting to rescue the dogs after noticing their deteriorating condition, left to die by their owners. Fortner was also working to find them permanent homes, officials said. Deputies from the Saline County Sheriff's Office said they were alerted to the attack around 12:15 p.m. Wednesday and arrived to find the teen already dead. With the assistance of Benton Animal Services, deputies seized multiple dogs from the property. Dogs were a Mix of Pitbulls, Pitbull Crossbreeds, and Hounds; 14 of Them Euthanized in the Wake of the Attack The dogs were a mix of pit bulls, pit bull crossbreeds, and hounds, Benton Animal Services spokesperson Matt Thibault told the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Officials told the newspaper that 14 dogs were euthanized in the wake of the incident. Investigators said they are looking into how the "sudden and tragic" attack unfolded. For months, neighbors had complained about how out of control the problem with the pack of dogs had become — with many reporting to Saline County officials that they would sometimes run loose throughout the area. However, county officials had told upset residents on multiple occasions that there was nothing they could do. The Saline County Sheriff's Office is now investigating the incident with the assistance of Benton animal control. Fortner Remembered as 'The Kindest Soul' Fortner, a high schooler at Bryant Public Schools, is remembered as a "beautiful, bright girl with the kindest soul," a GoFundMe set up for the 15-year-old revealed. "Her smile could light up a room, and her laughter was the kind that made others feel instantly at ease," the fundraising page reads."She is deeply loved by her family, friends, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing her."
International Business Times
03-06-2025
- International Business Times
Who Is Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja? Neighbor Who Shoot Dead 'King of the Hill' Voice Actor Jonathan Joss After Heated Argument Arrested
The man who allegedly shot and killed "King of the Hill" voice actor Jonathan Joss has been arrested, according to a report. The suspect, Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, was arrested in Texas on Sunday, June 1, at 7:05 p.m, according to online records, the New York Post reported. He faces a charge of first-degree felony murder, with his bond set at $200,000. Joss, best known for voicing a character on the popular animated series "King of the Hill", was reportedly shot dead by a neighbor in Texas. Joss, who voiced "John Redcorn" on the animated series, got into a heated argument with Ceja at his San Antonio home on Sunday night. Argument Leading to Death During the altercation, Ceja drew a gun and shot Joss multiple times. Ceja fled the scene by car but was arrested by authorities just one block away. As authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the deadly shooting, neighbors told TMZ that Joss and Ceja had a long-standing dispute and were reportedly involved in past verbal and physical altercations. According to Joss' neighbors, his house was destroyed in a fire back in February, which reportedly started when he tried to heat the home using a BBQ pit after his electricity was cut off. They said that on Sunday, Joss returned to the property to pick up a check from a victim's fire relief fund and found the remains of one of his cherished dogs that had died in the blaze, the New York Post reported. The sight of the dog's remains sent Joss into a fury, and he began shouting at anyone nearby, including Alvarez Ceja, who lived just two houses away, according to eyewitnesses, the publication reported. Neighbors said that such outbursts from Joss were common. They claimed that police had been called on him multiple times before his home caught fire earlier this year. They also alleged that Joss often engaged in strange behavior, such as banging pots and pans on his rooftop in the middle of the night. More Mystery into the Death Before the fire, Joss' home had reportedly been deemed unsafe and uninhabitable— a situation neighbors say led to his electricity being disconnected. According to the Post, a GoFundMe campaign was launched for Joss after the incident, successfully raising $10,721 to assist him. Details on the fundraising page revealed that the house was originally built in 1957 by Joss' father as a gift for his mother, and sadly, three of his dogs lost their lives in the fire. Joss, a graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University, is survived by his husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, whom he married on Valentine's Day. His final credited role on IMDb was in 2023, lending his voice to characters in CD Projekt RED's video game "Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty", where he starred alongside Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba. Joss also voiced the character Healing in the animated drama "Unplugged" by Paul McComas and Holly Trasti, appearing with the late Louis Gossett Jr., the late Ed Asner, Christina Ricci, and Jeri Ryan.
