23-Year-Old College Student Fatally Mauled by Three Pit Bulls While Pet-Sitting in Tyler, Texas

Madison Riley Hull, a 23-year-old student at the University of Texas at Tyler, was fatally attacked while pet-sitting three pit bulls at a home in Tyler, Texas. The tragic incident has left her family devastated, as her mother Jennifer Hubbell revealed that the dogs had previously "seemed to love her" during the several weeks Hull had been caring for them.

According to reports from WFAA, Hull's body was discovered in the backyard of the residence around 4:15 p.m. on November 21. When officers arrived at the scene, one of the pit bulls charged aggressively, prompting a responding officer to shoot and kill it in order to access Hull. The remaining two dogs were subsequently taken into custody by authorities.

The fatal attack occurred at a residential property in Tyler while the homeowners were away. Hull, who was only six months away from earning her bachelor's degree in early childhood education, had been regularly babysitting the family's children prior to the incident and believed that looking after their dogs "would be an okay situation."

The tragedy unfolded when Hull visited the home to let the dogs back inside. Upon entering the backyard, all three pit bulls attacked her. A concerned neighbor who heard the disturbance contacted emergency services immediately.

When a Smith County Sheriff's deputy arrived, he found Hull in the backyard with the dogs advancing toward him. Sergeant Larry Christian, public information officer with the Smith County Sheriff's Office, explained that "The dogs then diverted their attention. All three of them to him. Started coming toward him, and he unholstered his weapon, service weapon, and he fired at one of the dogs, killing it." This action caused the other two dogs to flee, allowing the officer to reach Hull, who unfortunately succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter.

Jennifer Hubbell, Hull's mother, mentioned that her daughter had recently noted a concerning "change in behaviour" in the dogs, despite their previously affectionate demeanor toward her.

Authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack and are collaborating with the Smith County District Attorney's Office to determine if the dogs' owners will face charges. A court hearing regarding the fate of the two surviving pit bulls is scheduled to take place on Wednesday.