In a heartbreaking event, a 15-year-old girl from Arkansas was fatally attacked by a pack of dogs while she was trying to feed them. The incident took place in Alexander, a town located about 17 miles from Little Rock. The young girl, identified as Makayla Fortner, and her mother, Stephanie Wilkie, had been trying to provide care for the 30 to 40 malnourished dogs they had observed living in deplorable conditions.
The first officer to arrive at the scene had to fire his weapon multiple times to keep the dogs at bay, as reported by eyewitness Ralph Murphy. Murphy recounted the officer firing into the ground twice to deter the dogs before discovering the lifeless body of the teenager.
The community had been worried about the pack of dogs for several months, with numerous residents reporting the dogs roaming freely in the area to Saline County officials. However, the county officials had consistently told the residents that they were unable to intervene in the situation.
Murphy voiced his frustration, revealing that he had reached out to Saline County, only to be informed that there was no animal control in the county and nothing could be done. Another resident, Heidi Clay, characterized the dogs as so “ferocious” that parents were fearful of letting their children walk to and from the bus stop.
In the aftermath of the fatal attack, Benton City officials seized 14 dogs from the property and had them put down. However, four dogs that were inside the house during the attack were left on the property. The Saline County Sheriff’s Office, with the help of Benton animal control, is currently investigating the incident.
Fortner, who was a student at Bryant Public Schools, is remembered as a “beautiful, bright girl with the kindest soul,” according to a GoFundMe page established in her memory. The page portrays her as a girl whose “smile could light up a room, and her laughter was the kind that made others feel instantly at ease.” She is deeply mourned by her family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing her.