Dog’s Playful Tug on Scarf Chokes Girl, 6, to Death

A 6-year-old girl was killed when her playful 70-pound Labrador retriever grabbed her scarf and dragged her through the snow, choking her to death, authorities said.

Shawnee County Coroner Hugh Moore said the dog, Blue, did not bite or attack Theresa Ward. Besides the bruises on her neck, “there wasn’t a mark on her,” he said.

“The dog really did play with those kids,” said Duane Stites, a neighbor of Robert and Mary Ward. “They really did love it.”

Stites’ wife, Relda, said Theresa and her younger brother often played with the dog in much the same way.

“I can see the dog just grabbing that scarf,” she said. “The dog would jump up on them and knock them down. They’d just get up and laugh.”

County Sheriff’s Detective Rick Hladky said the girl and dog were seen playing in the snow Saturday afternoon. Minutes later, witnesses said they saw the dog dragging the girl around the yard by her scarf, he said.

Family members discovered the girl’s body in the backyard about 15 minutes later.

Blue, who had lived with the Wards for a year, was placed in a Humane Society shelter.