She was taking a walk in the woods near her mountain home, as she often did, but she died after being mauled by a group of dogs, most likely five Argentine Dogo dogs often let loose by their owner.
And it was he who found Lucia Tognela, 60, from Bianzone (Sondrio), lifeless on a trail at 1,800 meters above sea level in Trivigno, in the municipality of Tirano, in Valtellina. A former surveyor, Lucia Tognela had decided to take a walk in the woods yesterday afternoon, taking advantage of the beautiful, spring-like weather, when she was attacked by a pack of large dogs, roaming freely in an area with hiking trails. The five dogs, often let loose from their enclosures, were subsequently seized. They had been the subject of disputes between hikers and their owner in the past, and when the autopsy is scheduled, he will most likely be listed as a suspect for his protection, charged with neglect of animal custody and manslaughter.
The expert will thus be able to appoint a trusted consultant for the expert report ordered by Prosecutor Piero Basilone, who met yesterday in Trivigno with prosecutor Tatjana Ennemoser, who will almost certainly be assigned to pathologist Luca Tajana of the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Pavia. Clear bite marks were found on the woman's body, consistent with a possible attack by large dogs. The deceased woman from Valtellina did not suffer from any medical conditions, but it remains to be determined whether she died following a sudden illness, perhaps triggered by fear at seeing the large dogs approaching her, and was then attacked and mauled, or whether her death was solely attributable to the animals' bites. Saliva swabs will also be taken on the bites to determine whether they actually came from the dogs now under seizure. The Carabinieri in Tirano are investigating the incident and will interview potential witnesses to the tragedy in the coming hours.
(Unioneonline)
