SPOKANE, Wash. — Major Crimes detectives remain busy trying to figure out if a dog mauled its owner to death.
Sixty-five-year-old Carol Streit was found face down in a field Wednesday near Minnehaha Park. A search warrant obtained by KREM 2 reveals Streit suffered extensive injuries to both arms. Her pants were pulled below her waist and her right hand appeared to be missing.
"Unknown if she's breathing," Spokane law enforcement said over scanner traffic. "There's a dog running next to her with blood on it. Doesn't appear she has clothes on."
Deputies say Streit's dog exhibited protective/aggressive behavior.
"The dog is a pitbull," police said over the scanner. "Seems like it belongs to her."
The dog had to be coaxed away before paramedics could get to the 65-year-old. A tag on the dog's collar helped identify Streit and lead deputies to her apartment a short distance from where the body was found.
Court documents show Streit lived at Beau Rivage. KREM 2 spoke with her next door neighbors. They didn't want to go on camera, but said Streit adopted her dog, "Reggie," a few months ago. Shortly after the adoption, Reggie was hit by a car, but made a full recovery. Streit's neighbors said they let Reggie out every morning when Streit was at work, including the day she died. They said Reggie never showed any aggression toward humans, only other dogs.
The Spokane County Sheriff's Office said the only obvious wounds to Streit appeared to be caused by her dog. However, additional testing is needed before this can be confirmed. The dog is being held at SCRAPS (Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service).
Streit worked as a counselor at Spokane Regional Health District. They sent KREM 2 a statement saying Streit was a joy to work with and loved by her patients. Her colleagues are shocked and saddened by her death.
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