Dog ‘viciously attacked’ and killed woman in her home, North Carolina sheriff says

Injuries found on a body inside a North Carolina home indicate the woman was likely killed by a dog, according to investigators.

The discovery was made just before 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 23, at a home on North Peavine Road, near Bonnetsville.

“Upon arrival deputies discovered a 38-year-old female deceased,” the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “Evidence suggests the victim was viciously attacked by a dog the victim had been providing care to for several weeks.”

Deputies located and euthanized the dog at the scene, officials said.

Investigators believe the victim, Barbara Hunter Brewington, was attacked “while protecting a smaller pet at the residence.”

Brewington was a wife, mother of three and employee of Village Family Dental in Fayetteville, the office reported in a Facebook post.

“Barbara joined our Village Family in 2017 and faithfully served in both our Eastover and Fayetteville offices alongside Dr. Grant Wiles and Dr. Anuj James,” the office said. “Barbara had a gift for bringing warmth, laughter, and comfort to everyone she met. Her kindness touched co-workers and patients alike, and her presence made our offices brighter every day.”

Investigators say the dog will be taken to Raleigh for rabies testing. “The actual cause of death is pending the medical examiner’s investigation,” the sheriff’s office said.

The incident is the second fatal dog attack reported over five days in North Carolina.

On Nov. 18, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office found a 73-year-old man dead on Jeanette Lane near Thomasville, and evidence “indicated the individual had succumbed to injuries consistent with an attack by a large pack of canines.”

The sheriff’s office has not said whether the dogs have been located.

“The Criminal Investigation Division, in coordination with members of the Davidson County Animal Control Division, responded to the scene and initiated a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident,” the sheriff’s office said.

North Peavine Road is about a 65-mile drive southeast from Raleigh.

This story was originally published November 24, 2025 at 8:23 AM with the headline "Dog ‘viciously attacked’ and killed woman in her home, North Carolina sheriff says."