Mom has arms ripped apart, dies stopping pit bull from attacking 4-year-old son

By Edward Era Barbacena

A Wisconsin mother had her arms ripped apart by a pit bull while saving her 4-year-old son from the dog and later died, kin say.

Heather Pingel, 35, was savagely attacked at her home in Bowler, northwest of Milwaukee, on Dec. 8.

The boy’s father “got home to find her lying on the bathroom floor. She said, ‘I have no arms, and I’m dying,’ ” said Pingel’s sister, Shannon Pingel, to the Wausau Daily Herald.

Heather’s son was found sitting on a chair in the dining room with blood pouring from his leg.

The mother of two had spent a week in the hospital trying to recover from her extensive injuries before she was pronounced dead Thursday, her family said.

She suffered kidney failure and had had both her arms amputated.

Pingel’s son, Damion, received 70 stitches to his leg after being bitten by the dog and was later released from the hospital.

The family believes the attack unfolded after Pingel found the dog biting her son. The pitbull likely turned on her as she tried to shield the boy from further injuries, kin said.

Shane Bernarde, Pingel’s boyfriend and the father of the injured boy, returned home to find the dog still attacking the mom in the bathroom.

“We don’t know how long she was in there fighting him off,” Shannon Pingel said.

Bernarde, who was also bitten during the ordeal, told cops that he pulled the dog off Pingel, dragged it out to the yard and shot it.

Pingel’s injuries were so severe she was unable to give authorities a full account of what happened before she died.

Her sister said the dog had previously shown signs of aggression.

“My sister has the biggest heart for animals and just couldn’t get rid of it. … Her heart was too big, and they thought they could fix him,” Shannon said.