Pit bull-type dogs that attacked a grandmother who was visiting her family in Alachua mauled the woman from head to foot, according to an autopsy report obtained by Mainstreet Daily News.   

Dr. Andrew Koopmeiners, Alachua County associate medical examiner, determined that 61-year-old Moraima “Mori” Simon died from “sharp force injuries” caused when she was “attacked by dog(s).” 

Simon, who was visiting her son’s family at their property on Northwest County Rd 235, was attacked by the family’s dogs in the early evening of March 19. She and her 3-year-old grandson were walking on the 10-acre homestead when she was set upon.  

Other family members had gone out and Simon, visiting from her home in Miami-Dade, was caring for the grandchild. Her body was discovered by family members returning to the house. The boy was found nearby, unharmed. 

The autopsy report describes a gruesome attack that left visible wounds on the victim’s head, face, chest, abdomen, both arms, both hands and wrists, right hip, upper and lower legs and both feet. 

The attack punctured a large artery in her upper arm and severed a second artery just below her elbow.  

Alachua Police Department spokesperson Thomas Stanfield declined to comment on the matter Friday night, saying he had not yet received or reviewed the medical examiner’s findings. 

The victim’s son, Bryan Faulk, told Mainstreet last week that his mother “wasn’t mauled” by his dogs and attributed her death to a heart attack. 

“She got bit. When she got bit, she had a heart attack,” Faulk said. 

The medical examiner, however, found that Simon’s heart was normal and showed no signs of coronary heart disease, weakness or enlargement. 

The family in this fatal mauling case has previously known one of its dogs to turn on a family member. 

In 2023, Faulk’s 12-year-old stepdaughter was bitten by a pitbull-type dog named “Tank,” and required treatment at Miami Children’s hospital. Faulk’s wife, Kathleen Leto, was cited by Miami-Dade animal control for failure to register the dog and for it not being vaccinated against rabies. 

The dogs in the fatal mauling, named “Chanel” and “Scrappy,” remain in the Alachua County animal shelter where they are being kept apart from other animals and out of public view. Faulk surrendered the dogs to authorities the night of the fatal attack. The surrender papers state that “the decision (whether) to euthanize is within the sole discretion of Animal Resources.”  

Alachua County spokesperson, Mark Sexton, told Mainstreet Friday night that the dogs’ fates had yet been determined. 

“We will take time to evaluate the coroner’s report and take the appropriate action,” Sexton said. 

Pit bull-type dogs are the strain most commonly linked to attacks on humans, according to the World Animal Federation. They account for 66% of fatal cases, followed by rottweilers at 9%.