A chilling tragedy unfolded in the quiet town of Latina, as a young Nigerian mother was savagely attacked and killed by a pack of starving dogs.
Patricia Masithela, 27, was visiting a friend’s home in the early hours of Monday night when the brutal attack occurred.
The Mirror reports that the unsuspecting mother, hoping to meet a male acquaintance, arrived at a derelict house unaware of the horror that would await her.
Neighbours were shaken by the chilling screams of the young mother as she was torn apart by the ravenous dogs around 3 a.m.
The desperate cries for help rang through the air, prompting a frantic call to emergency services.
When the pack of dogs was finally chased away, Patricia was found in a pool of blood, critically injured with severe wounds across her body.
Two of the dogs were shot dead by police before the rest scattered. Emergency responders arrived at the scene, rushing Patricia to Santa Maria Goretti Hospital.
Despite their best efforts, the injuries sustained from the savage mauling proved fatal. Patricia, a mother to a five-year-old daughter, succumbed to her wounds shortly after arrival at the hospital.
The heartbroken community is now left to grapple with the harrowing loss of a young mother whose life was senselessly taken in the most horrifying of circumstances.
Local authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack, with animal control teams working to track down the remaining dogs in the pack.