A horrific tragedy unfolded in Latina, Italy, on Monday night when 27-year-old Patricia Masithela, originally from Nigeria, was mauled to death by a pack of starving dogs.
The attack occurred as Patricia visited a male acquaintance at his abandoned villa in the Lazio region, unaware that he was not home.
READ ALSO: VCN urges penalties for owners of unvaccinated dogs
Her screams echoed through the night, alerting neighbors to the brutal attack. Patricia was found critically injured, lying in a pool of blood with deep wounds across her body.
“She was attacked by a pack of dogs that appeared to be starving,” a local resident told the Mirror UK. “It was an awful sound that we heard that night.”
Police arrived at the scene and shot two of the dogs to allow emergency services to assist Patricia. The remaining dogs fled after the gunfire. Medics quickly rushed her to Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, but despite their best efforts, Patricia succumbed to their injuries from the vicious bites and severe blood loss.
Patricia, a dedicated mother to a five-year old daughter, has left her loved ones in deep grief. Investigations are underway as authorities work to determine the circumstances surrounding the presence of the dogs in the area.
