Charges Pursued In Fatal Dog Mauling

DENVER -- Investigators with the Elbert County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that they plan to pursue felony charges of criminally negligent homicide against the owners of the three pit bulls involved in a fatal attack that killed a neighbor dead and injured two others.

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Pit Bull Victim Describes Attack

The attacks occurred Nov. 31, in the Meadow Brook Ranches Subdivision in rural Elbert County, about 12 miles east of Parker, the sheriff's department said.

Jennifer Brooks, 40 died when the three dogs attacked her, investigators said. Two other people were also attacked, but the son of one of them killed the dogs by shooting them with a shotgun.

Investigators said Brooks was horribly mauled and several firefighters who were called to the scene required counseling after the attack.

McCuen (pictured, right) and William Gladney will also be charged with investigation of unlawful ownership of dangerous dogs. Both charges are felonies.

Some of the dogs involved in the attack had mauled before and their owner, Jacqueline McCuen, is already facing a misdemeanor charge from one of those incidents, the sheriff's department confirmed.

Neighbors told 7NEWS that the dogs have terrorized the neighborhood for years.

McCuen also had been cited for alleged animal violations in 2002 when she lived in Aurora. The citations included having unlicensed dogs, having too many dogs and letting dogs run loose.

Investigators with the Elbert County Sheriff's Office said they hoped present the case to the District Attorney's Office by early next week. It will be up to the District Attorney to determine what formal charges will be filed in the case early next week.