Pregnant Postal Worker Killed in the Street
Kate “Sissie” Dick was an early resident of the new town of Punta Gorda. She came to Punta Gorda along with her parents, John and Amanda Dick, and her many siblings. The family traveled from Texas to Punta Gorda in a covered wagon.
Working Woman, Wife and Mother
Katie worked as the assistant postmaster and married Alfred Sloan on Halloween 1888 at the age of 22. The young couple moved to a home on Alligator Creek across from Indian Spring Cemetery. In 1889 they had their first daughter, Celia. Within two years of wedded bliss, Katie was pregnant with their second child.
Tragic Death by Dog
One lovely spring day, Katie was attacked by a vicious dog. It mauled her to death, right there in the streets of Punta Gorda!
Katie and her unborn baby were buried separately which seems to indicate the baby had been ripped from Katie’s womb during the grisly attack.
Not an Isolated Incident
As horrific and unlikely it might seem for a young pregnant woman to be attacked or killed by a dog, it’s happened on other occasions. Here are a few recent examples:
- “On August 11, 2011, 32-year-old Darla Napora, who was pregnant with her first child, was found dead in her Pacifica home, viciously killed by one of her own pit bulls, police reported. Darla’s husband said that he came home from work and found the couple’s two-year-old male pit bull, named Gunner, covered in blood and hovering over his wife’s mauled body.” Read the full story and response from Darla’s father
- “An eight-month pregnant woman remains in the hospital after she was violently mauled by a dog. ‘If it did this to me, it would have killed a child,’ said Lythiea Smith. Smith, 27, said her motherly instincts kicked in during the attack when she covered her stomach, protecting her unborn daughter, Paris.” Read the full story
- “A pregnant 22-year-old stabbed the family Pit Bull to death after it became vicious and “turned” on its owners Friday. Sierra Wilson stabbed the dog, named Buster, when it began attacking two other dogs and then its owners when they tried to intervene, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.” Read the full story
- “As Terrie protected her eight-and-a-half-month bump, the hounds started clawing and biting. They stripped her naked – leaving her bloodied and battered on the floor. Terrie was forced to have an emergency C-section while unconscious – and her son, James, was rushed to neo-natal intensive care.” Read the full story
- “A pit bull was shot and killed after attacking a pregnant woman and her boyfriend. ‘They shot the dog once and he kept trying to attack the officer. So they opened fire again, nine, 10 more times. It took that many shots to put that dog down,” said witness Marlo Weathers.'” Read the full story
- “A 4-year-old was killed and his pregnant mother injured by three pit bulls that attacked them Wednesday at a friend’s home in Kent County, state police said.” Read the full story
- “A 12-year-old boy and a pregnant woman who came to his rescue are recovering from a dog attack in Midland City. Police say the boy was attacked by his mother’s dogs. The attack started inside his mother’s house on Gary Street, and he was dragged outside into the backyard. The boy was home with his younger sister at the time.” Read the full story
- “A woman nine months pregnant was attacked by her own pit bull, breaking her arm and prompting her to be airlifted to a trauma center, according to officials.” Read the full story
- “Two dogs died after a woman and her Chihuahuas were attacked by three loose dogs in Rocky Point on Wednesday. ‘My wife went through a very traumatic ordeal,’ Doherty said, adding that his wife is 16 weeks’ pregnant.” Read the full story
- “A pregnant delivery driver is considering taking legal action against a dog owner after she was bit twice on their property. Emily Myrick works as an Amazon Flex driver. She’s also nine months pregnant.” Read the full story
Postal Carriers at Risk of Dog Attack
According to the United States Postal Service, the number of postal employees attacked by dogs nationwide totaled 6,244 in 2017.
U.S. Postal Service Releases Annual Dog Attack City Rankings
Learn about Punta Gorda’s history!
Hear true stories about Punta Gorda’s history and tragic deaths occurring here on our Haunted History of Punta Gorda Walking Tour.
Sources:Charlotte County Historical Center; Fatal Dog Attacks in the United States; Ancestry.com; USPS
