An 85-year-old woman was found dead outside a home Tuesday morning in the 200 block of Alston Road near New Hope Church Road, just outside Apex. Chatham County deputies said they were called to the scene around 11 a.m. after a report of a possible dog attack. Family members told authorities they found three dogs near her body and chased the animals away before law enforcement arrived, and deputies later secured the dogs. The North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office is working with investigators to determine the cause of death.
Deputies identified the woman as 85-year-old Betty Alston and confirmed they are investigating whether the dogs played a role in her death, according to WRAL. The sheriff’s office said the animals are now secured and there is no ongoing threat to the community while the investigation continues. Officials have not released information about who owns the dogs, their breed, or whether any charges might follow.
National Data Show Deadly Dog Encounters Are Rare but Rising
Fatal incidents involving dogs remain unusual, but federal statistics show they have become more common in recent years. A CDC MMWR QuickStats report documented 468 deaths from being bitten or struck by a dog between 2011 and 2021 and noted that annual numbers climbed sharply after 2018, according to the CDC. That trend is one reason medical examiners and animal-control officials are typically brought in when there is any uncertainty about how a person died.
What Investigators Are Saying Now
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office has said it will share additional details as the investigation moves forward and the medical examiner completes its review, per WRAL. For now, deputies have reiterated that there is no ongoing threat to the community, and the dogs remain secured while authorities work to piece together exactly what happened.
