COLUMBIA, Md. (WJZ) — A 64-year-old Maryland woman was mauled to death by a pit bull she recently rescued, police said Tuesday.

According to Howard County Police, officers were called to a home on Tamar Drive on Labor Day for a report of a woman being mauled to death by her dog.

Robin Conway was found dead in her backyard with significant injuries.

A family member found Conway in her yard around 7:20 p.m. on Monday with the dog standing over her.

The witness called 911 and tied the dog to a fence until help arrived.

The radio transmission was heard with the caller saying he thought his wife was attacked by a dog and might be dead.

Police and EMS responded and pronounced Conway dead at the scene.

The dog, who was still leashed to the post, was barking and lunging on its leash. It was subdued by animal control officers and ultimately euthanized.

A necropsy will be performed to determine if the dog was sick or had rabies.

Conway had adopted the pit bull two weeks prior from a rescue out-of-state.

Her sister, Susan Eve LeClair, said Conway was no stranger to pit bulls which is why she had rescued the one she was walking at the time of the attack.

“She cared so much about her animals that she had taken this dog,” LeClair said.

Conway’s family is mourning and is at a loss for words.

“Everybody is devasted,” LeClair said. “I don’t know that there are lessons to be learned or not,”

Police said the dog showed some signs of aggression.

“The dog was on a leash but lunging and barking, they tried to subdue him but ultimately had to euthanize him,” said Sherry Llewellyn with Howard County Police.

“There was obviously something wrong with this dog, but Robin was a wonderful wonderful person,” LeClair said.

Police said there were no previous calls to animal control about this residence prior to the incident Monday.

Police are conducting a death investigation in the case and awaiting official autopsy results.

“We have not seen a lot of cases like this here in Howard County,” Llewellyn said. “And we certainly haven’t seen cases that involve in a resulting death,”

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