Mother killed protecting 5-year-old son in Big River three-dog attack
Sheriff’s investigators said Emily Panuco intervened when three adult dogs attacked her son near a litter of puppies; she died from multiple bite wounds.
Incident summary
San Bernardino County deputies said Emily Panuco, 26, and her 5-year-old son were visiting a family home in Big River to see a litter of puppies. When the child approached the puppies, three adult dogs attacked him. Panuco intervened and sustained multiple bite wounds that proved fatal. Her son suffered two severe bites, was treated at a hospital and was later released.
The sheriff’s department said all three adult dogs were euthanized by Colorado River Indian Tribes Animal Control. The death investigation remained ongoing in the source reviewed.
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Primary record used by BiteDB
ABC7, citing the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, reported that three adult dogs attacked a 5-year-old boy as he approached puppies and then fatally attacked his mother, Emily Panuco, when she intervened.
Open original source ↗Additional sources
- Mother dies shielding her child from three dogsLocal television corroboration citing sheriff/Colorado River Station · 2026-03-03
What BiteDB does not infer
Breed is recorded only at the provenance level shown above. Missing injury details, dog history, ownership facts or circumstances remain unknown unless a reliable source establishes them. This record may be updated as police, animal-control, medical, court or follow-up reporting becomes available.