Texas caregiver Christine Rollins, 59, was attacked and killed by feral hogs on Sunday outside a home in Anahuac
A Texas woman who worked as a caregiver and was found dead outside of the home of the elderly couple she looked after, was attacked and killed by wild hogs, authorities have revealed.
Christine Rollins, 59, was discovered with ‘animal related injuries’ outside the home in the 4000 block of State Hwy 61 in the rural area of Anahuac, Texas on Sunday morning.
On Monday Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorn announced that the autopsy results showed the cause of death was ‘exsanguination due to feral hog assault’.
‘There were a lot of things related to the death that didn’t add up. Some of it were animal bites,’ Hawthorne said at a press conference Monday.
‘My detectives and the criminal investigation team felt like [feral hogs] was what it was but we couldn’t come close to announcing until we had the cause of death from the medical examiner’s office,’ Hawthorne added.
Rollins was on the property of the elderly couple she looked after that spanned 10 to 12 acres. Authorities say ‘the feral hogs have taken over some of their family land.’
On Monday Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorn announced that the autopsy results showed the cause of the death was ‘exsanguination due to feral hog assault’. Wild hogs are dangerous and rampant in Texas, especially in Chambers County. Stock image of feral hogs above
Rollins was discovered outside the couple’s home in the 4000 block of State Hwy 61 in the rural area of Anahuac, Texas on Sunday morning
Sheriff Hawthorn said the hog assault is a ‘very rare incident’ and less than six of such deaths have been reported in the U.S.
‘I want to especially send my condolences to the Rollins family. It’s unbelievably tragic,’ Hawthorne said.
On Sunday Rollins was supposed to look after the elderly couple at their Anahuac home. She had been taking care of the family for over a year, according to 12News.
When she failed to show up on time, the 84-year-old homeowner went outside and found her lying in the yard between her car and the home’s front door, Chambers County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Officials arrived and found Rollins dead, with multiple injuries to her body. She had a head injury believed to be from a fall, but also had numerous injuries that appear to be animal related.
In an initial statement on Sunday Hawthorne said authorities had no reason to believe foul play was involved in her death.
On Sunday Rollins was supposed to look after the elderly couple at their Anahuac home. She had been taking care of the family for over a year. When she failed to show up on time, the 84-year-old homeowner went outside and found her lying in the yard between her car and the home’s front door
‘She touched the lives of many people around her, young and old,’ her grandson Marcus Sandles said
‘It looked like she had got out of her car and locked it and she was making her way to the front door when these animals came along,’ Hawtorne said.
He said that Rollins was attacked by multiple hogs, as determined by the size of the bites on her body.
At first there was some speculation about the dogs that lived in the elderly couple’s home. The Sheriff’s spokesman said that five dogs live at the property, including one well-trained Labrador and four ‘friendly corgis.’
Hawthorne revealed the dogs probably ran the hogs off. The dogs were discovered by Rollin’s body but not on it.
The sheriff revealed that wild hogs have been a problem in this area of Texas and many neighbors have called to complain that animals were tearing up their front yards.
The sheriff’s office even put out traps to see if they can trap one of the hogs.
Wild hogs are dangerous to the public and are rampant in Texas and travel in packs.
The sheriff warned that if any locals encounter one, it’s best to stay away and call Texas Parks & Wildlife officials.
Family and friends paid tribute to Rollins on Sunday.
‘She touched the lives of many people around her, young and old,’ her grandson Marcus Sandles said to KFDM.
