Queens woman, 75, is mauled to death inside her home by mastiff she recently adopted but planned to return because it was 'overly aggressive'
- Louise Hermida, 75, was bitten in the upper torso and died Monday at 6am after being mauled to death
- Police say dog in attack was a mastiff she had recently adopted but planned to return on Monday because the dog was 'overly aggressive'
- Her 39-year-old autistic son, Daniel Ferraro, was also bitten by the dog
- He was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. The dog is with Animal Care and Control
- It's unclear how large the dog involved in the attack is, but depending on the gender, a mastiff can grow to weigh more than 200 pounds
An elderly Queens woman was mauled to death by a mastiff that she recently adopted but planned on returning because the dog was 'overly aggressive,' police say.
Louise Hermida, 75, was bitten in the upper torso and was found gravely injured early Monday morning at the bottom of the basement steps to the two-story townhouse she lived in on 27th Street in Long Island City, the New York Daily News reported.
She died at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center at 6am.
Tragic: Louise Hermida, 75, was bitten in the upper torso and was found gravely injured early Monday morning at the bottom of the basement steps to her two-story townhouse (above)
During the horrific attack, the dog also bit her 39-year-old autistic son, Daniel Ferraro. He was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
Officials with the Emergency Services Unit were able to sedate the dog, which was then turned over to Animal Care and Control.
The elderly woman had reportedly recently adopted the mastiff from a shelter, but she was apparently planning to return it on Monday because of his aggressive behavior, sources say.
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She died at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center at 6am. The mastiff (above is a file photo) also bit her 39-year-old autistic son. He was taken to a hospital in stable condition
Jean Vontas, one of her neighbors, said the family had 'too many dogs' at the home where they'd lived for around 20 years, the Daily News reported.
'I never knew if they were baby-sitting the dogs — they were always walking the dogs up and down,' Vontas said.
It's unclear how large the dog involved in the attack is, but depending on the gender, a mastiff can grow to weigh more than 200 pounds.
Animal advocates say that mastiffs are generally of mild temperament, as they live about 8 to 10 years.
The medical examiner will determine the cause of death and the investigation is ongoing.
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