A 17-year-old girl named Tracy suffered serious injuries after being attacked by a group of dogs in Newberry Springs, California, on July 17. Reports indicate that she was out jogging at around 7:00 a.m. when the incident occurred.
Tracy was on a dirt road near her family’s home, heading to a nearby workout center, when she was mauled. After a neighbor heard her cries for help, they quickly called 911. Tracy was taken to Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, where she received more than 500 stitches for her injuries.
Her mother, Maria Azpeitia, expressed her shock, saying, “I didn’t know who she was. She was covered in dirt, so I couldn’t recognize my daughter.” She had always believed her daughter would be safe walking to her bus stop each morning.
In total, 16 dogs were seized from a property nearby. Authorities reported that the dogs were not contained and roamed freely at the time of the attack. Photos from the hospital show Tracy with numerous bite marks and injuries, leaving her unable to walk unaided.
Tracy’s stepfather, Carlos Ramirex, recounted his worry during the crisis, stating, “It was not one dog or two dogs, it was a lot. They bit every part of her body you could think of except for her ankles.”
Currently, Tracy has been released from the hospital but is facing a challenging recovery. She has had to cancel her plans for her senior year of high school due to ongoing doctor visits and rehabilitation. Friends and family have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help support her recovery, which has raised over $8,000 out of a $12,000 goal. Tracy is also experiencing nightmares as she copes with the trauma from the attack.
