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NCRC Discloses Actual Cause in Death Mistakenly Reported as a

Fatal Dog Attack NCRC does not rely solely on news accounts. Whenever possible, NCRC conducts personal interviews with police investigators, animal control officers, coroners, forensic pathologists, veterinarians, health department officials, dog owners, and eye witnesses. We obtain incident reports, bite reports, human and animal autopsy reports, summaries of judicial proceedings, and crime scene data. NCRC followed up on the case of Ernie Assad, after it had been reported that he died from injuries inflicted by dogs. The result of our investigation demonstrates why initial news accounts cannot be relied upon as the sole source of fatal dog attack data. Here is what we learned:

Incident Date: April 12, 2005 (Died April 23, 2005) Location: Parma, Ohio Victim: Ernie Assad, 82 yr. old male

Circumstances: Ernie Assad, 82, was in his yard watering his lawn. Three dogs escaped from a yard down the street and ran into Assad’s yard. Two of the dogs, an American Bulldog and a pit bull, belonged to Darnell Sanders of North Royalton. He had asked, Natalie Gruttadauria of Seven Hills to watch them while he was away. Gruttadauria then brought the dogs to her brother Dominick’s house in Parma to play with his Cane Corso. The dogs escaped from Dominick Gruttadauria's yard near Mr. Assad's home. Mr. Assad either fell or was knocked down, after the dogs charged (or rushed) him. He was taken to the hospital. He was treated and released the same day. Some hours or days later, Mr. Assad was admitted to the hospital. During his stay, he underwent two operations to relieve blood clots. Mr. Assad died on April 23rd, 11 days after his encounter with the dogs. News accounts: On April 20, 2005, The Plain Dealer reported that, “An 82-year-old man is paralyzed and unable to speak after three dogs attacked him last week. Ernie Assad, who has lived in Parma for more than 50 years, was watering plants in his back yard on Stanbury Road and had walked to his back door when three dogs - a pit bull, an American bulldog and a Cane Corso - rushed up his driveway and mauled him, police said.”

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The Plain Dealer reported on April 27, 2005, “Siblings charged in fatal dog attack.” The first line of the article reads, “The caretakers of three dogs that mauled an elderly man who later died were charged with failing to control the animals.” Cleveland.com reported on April 27, 2005 that a pit bull, an American bulldog and a Cane Corso – “escaped from their masters and savaged Ernie Assad on April 13.” NCRC Investigation: The investigation of this incident remained open with both the Parma Police Department and the prosecutor’s office for the next 18 months. In early 2006, the American Bulldog and pit bull were returned to Darnell Sanders. The Cane Corso had been returned to Dominick Gruttadauria months before. The fact that all the dogs had now been returned to their owners indicated to the NCRC that the reports of Mr. Assad being “mauled, savaged and attacked” by the animals were highly questionable. It is incredibly rare for a dog known to have participated in a fatal attack on a human being to be returned to its owner. In October 2006, NCRC contacted the Parma Police Department. The investigating officer informed us that dog bites were not a contributory factor in Mr. Assad’s death. To confirm the officer’s statement, when the CDC’s mortality tapes for the year 2005 became publicly available, NCRC queried to determine whether or not any actions of the dogs are listed on Mr. Assad’s death certificate as factors in his death. They are not.

Results of Investigation:*

Cause of Death: Pulmonary Edema (Blood clot in the lungs)

*Source: Interview with Parma Police Detective Richard McGlynn Review of CDC mortality tapes