Family of boy mauled by dogs suing Clinton, county

The family of a then 11-year-old boy who was attacked and critically injured by a pack of dogs roaming through a Clinton neighborhood is suing the City of Clinton and Laurens County, claiming neither the city nor county appropriately responded to complaints about the animals prior to the attack.

A’Rhyan Anderson spent more than a month in the hospital after the attack, which occurred as he waited at a bus stop before school on Valentine’s Day of last year. The four large-breed dogs mauled Anderson before being chased away by a neighbor, Natasha Mims, who was passing by the bus stop and saw the attack.

Now Amy Lowe, Anderson’s mother, is suing in an effort to cover nearly $650,000 in medical bills already owed as well as future bills in addition to other damages.

“Defendants owed statutory and common-law duties to exercise reasonable care in (a) establishing and adequately staffing an animal-control division, (b) responding to dangerous-dog complains and (c) protecting foreseeable child victims congregating at school bus stops,” the suit read.

The suit goes on to state that the City of Clinton, which does not have its own animal control division, and Laurens County, failed to budget sufficient personnel, equipment and training and ignored repeated complaints from people in the Livingston Street neighborhood about the dogs. The suit also alleges coordination failures between the city and county that left enforcement gaps in Clinton and permitting uncertified or untrained officers to handle animal control calls.

The suit is seeking the more than $639,000 in accrued medical bills to date as well as future therapeutic and surgical expenses. Damages are also sought for permanent scarring and disfigurement, physical pain and mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life.

Laurens County Council Chairman Jeff Carroll said county officials do not comment on pending litigation. Council held an executive session at its Monday night meeting and received advice from attorneys on that suit and other legal matters.

The City of Clinton released a statement on social media after the suit was filed.

“As a matter of policy, the city is unable to make any comments on pending litigation,” the statement read. “However, we want to assure the public that the city takes all legal matters seriously and is committed to conducting its operations in a lawful, ethical and transparent manner.”

Three of the dogs were put down in the weeks following the attack by law enforcement and animal control. The owner or owners of the dogs have not been found.