A 75-year-old woman was killed and partially eaten by her neighbor’s pigs during a horrifying attack that unfolded on Christmas Day, a local police chief has confirmed.
Rebecca Westergaard, of Pataskala, Ohio, was mauled by two animals that were roaming free near her home on Mink Street, Pataskala Police Chief Bruce Brooks told The Columbus Dispatch on Monday.
The alarm was raised by Westergaard’s niece who had been expecting her to visit that afternoon. Officers who were sent to conduct a welfare check discovered her aunt’s ravaged body on her property.
Newsweek has reached out by email to Pataskala Police seeking further information and comment.
Farmyard pigs pictured on May 22, 2023, in Albareto, Italy. A 75-year-old Ohio woman was killed by a neighbor’s two pigs on Christmas Day, police confirmed this week. Farmyard pigs pictured on May 22, 2023, in Albareto, Italy. A 75-year-old Ohio woman was killed by a neighbor’s two pigs on Christmas Day, police confirmed this week. Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images
Why It Matters
As Westergaard’s family grieves her loss and comes to terms with the violent nature of her death, the police must assess the case and examine the law to establish whether a crime has been committed.
Unlike a dog attack, where owners may be held responsible, a death caused by farm animals is
