On Christmas Day, an elderly woman was attacked and partially eaten by a pair of pigs who strayed onto her Pataskala property in Ohio.
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On Monday, Pataskala Police Chief Bruce Brooks told The Columbus Dispatch that Rebecca Westergaard, 75, was attacked by two pigs who were wandering near her Mink Street home.
She was discovered dead after a welfare check was called by her niece. Westergaard was supposed to leave her house at 10:30 am to reach her niece's home on Christmas Day. At 2:47 pm, the niece became suspicious of her auntie's circumstances and called the police.
According to Google Maps, a journey between the two cities would take roughly two hours, give or take.
Police found Westergaard mutilated by the pigs near her home. It is unclear if the pigs were still at the scene, or if they found the culprits nearby. They belonged to a neighbor, although police haven't shared any further details.
The case is still under investigation, so Bruce Brooks did not want to get into too many details.
We do know that the pigs belonged to a neighbor as the owner of a local meat market denied the pigs were hers. Mary Hite is a city council member and owner of Mink Street Market, where she sells farm-raised meats and goods. Although the market is located near Westergaard's home, she alleges the pigs are not her own.
Police Say The Incident Is A Legal Grey Zone
Brooks said that the case is a "horrible, horrible situation," although he's not too sure where the legalities lie.
He admitted he was unsure what will happen to the pigs, and whether the owner will be charged criminally. I'm no lawyer or professional, but negligence that leads to the death of another is typically charged, whether accidental or otherwise.
He has said the department is in touch with the Licking County Prosecutors' Office over the legal peculiarities.
"If it was a pit bull or a Rottweiler, or name any of the other 15 dogs that are deemed semi-aggressive, then we would know the answer right away," he explained. "But being farm animals, it's just not something we've ever dealt with here."
