INDIANAPOLIS — Police are investigating a Marion County sheriff's deputy's death after a dog bit her and her son at a home on the east side of Indianapolis Tuesday night.
IMPD officers responded to a report of an aggressive animal at a home in the 1700 block of Forsythia Drive, near East 16th Street and Post Road. When police arrived at the scene, they found two people with injuries related to dog bites.
A woman who had been bitten died at the scene. The Marion County Coroner's Office identified the victim as 46-year-old Tamieka White.
A child was also bitten and was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police said the boy went door-to-door in the neighborhood after he was bitten, looking for help after his mother was attacked.
Police told 13News that officers had to shoot the dog when it wouldn't let them get close to White. Officers tried to save White but were unable to do so.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office said White was a deputy sheriff and had served with the office since 2007.
“Deputy White was a bright light to all that knew her,” Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal said in a statement. “We are immensely grateful for her nearly 17 years of service to our agency. We will work to uphold her legacy as a courageous and dedicated public servant.”
White is survived by her 8-year-old son, who is recovering from the dog bite.
"It is rare. We do have these from time to time," IMPD Maj. Mike Leepper said. "The unfortunate reality is that it's very common with children when we do have them, but it seems to be more common with young people, but it is rare, a dog attack that results in death, but it does happen."
Animal Care Services officers arrived at the scene and removed three more dogs from the house.
Police told 13News that White was dogsitting for someone she knew, and confirmed the dog who attacked her and her son did not belong to her.
A man came to the scene and told police the dogs belonged to his girlfriend and he wanted the dogs back, but police said the dogs would be with Animal Control.
Detectives from the IMPD Homicide Office responded to the scene to conduct an investigation, which was handed over to the Nuisance and Abatement Unit.
13News has learned an Indianapolis Animal Care Services Animal Control officer had been at the home just a few days prior. The officer was called to the home around 3 p.m. Saturday for a report of two loose and aggressive dogs.
The officer is said to have found two dogs in front of the home, a broken fence and a third dog in the backyard.
Animal Care Services said the officer spoke to a person who claimed to be a friend of the owner of the dogs. They also spoke to the owner over the phone. The officer is said to have warned them that if the dogs got loose again, the owner would be cited. The officer also told the owner the dogs would need to be on a leash or tether while outside until the fence was fixed.