South African Woman Mauled To Death By Six Pit Bulls
A women in Durban, South Africa, was found dead after she had been viciously mauled by a pack of six pit bulls belonging to a local drug lord.
Shantal Pillay, 29, was a drug addict who frequently visited an infamous drug den in Phoenix. Saturday’s visit turned out to be her last, as her mutilated body was discovered lying in a stream a few feet from the drug den.
Police have attributed her severe injuries to six pit bulls, allegedly belonging to the drug lord who runs the den.
Her family was devastated by the news, with Roy and Judy Pillay explaining how their daughter had struggled with her drug addiction for years. They say too many lives are being destroyed by drugs, and authorities need to take action against the suppliers of those drugs.
“We could not believe that Shantel was gone and that she died in such a gruesome way.”
According to the Independent Online, Judy Pillay, 56, told the media that youth in the area are being drawn into using drugs, and nothing is being done to stop the criminals supplying them. She said police must work harder to close down the drug dealing operations, and they need answers as to what happened to their daughter.
“We need to know what happened to our daughter and we want answers.”
As the Pillay family prepared to bury their daughter on Tuesday, they were awaiting the results of the postmortem conducted on Shantel. A police source revealed that the woman had been mauled by six pit bulls belonging to the alleged drug lord.
The police spokesman said a nearby resident had heard Shantel’s screams for help and had come to her aid, throwing stones at the dogs. The pit bulls then reportedly ran back to the property they had come from and the resident immediately called the police and paramedics, but it was too late for Shantel.
Reportedly, chunks of flesh had been taken by the dogs from Shantel’s legs, neck, chest, and arms, and police believe she bled to death.
“We are not sure how the dogs got out of the property and police are looking at having those dogs put down, pending the investigation.”
According to the family, Shantel was unemployed and had left home at around 5 p.m. on Friday. Initially, they were not concerned when she didn’t return home, as she often stayed out late.
Her sister, Angel, explained that Shantel has been addicted to drugs for the past seven years and said when the family first found out, they were furious with her, but tried to get her help. Shantel would reportedly stay clean from the drugs for a while, but always went back to her old ways.
“As a family we did not know what else to do. She became so focused on getting her next fix that nothing else mattered. She even lost her job.”
Reportedly, police are trying to tackle the drug problem in the area and are zeroing in on known drug dens in Phoenix. Umesh Singh, chairman of the Phoenix Policing Forum, said they understand that drugs are rife in the community, and that many youngsters are dying from the drug trade.
“Since the start of the program we have been receiving tip-offs from the community, and it is only their help that will assist us with driving these dealers out of Phoenix.”
According to Major Thulani Zwane of the local police, a case of culpable homicide is being investigated relating to Shantel’s death.
Pack of pit bulls savage man https://t.co/ebAHBuj25l | Independent Online
— IOL News (@IOL) December 23, 2015
While Rakesh Rampersad, 28, survived the attack, he did suffer severe injuries to his genitals, hands, and a leg. Rampersad was quoted as saying when the dogs attacked he screamed for help, but people were too afraid to come near him for fear they would also be bitten. He is reportedly suffering from extreme pain and has a long medical battle ahead of him.
Ruvashen Dorasamy, 25, the owner of the four pit bulls, stood up for his pets saying that many youngsters, including Rampersad, provoked the dogs by poking the fence.
[Photo via Flickr, Cropped and Resized, by This Year’s Love/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]
