19 surgeries later, Barrow teen attacked by pit bulls to leave hospital
Joslyn Stinchcomb, 15, will leave the hospital Saturday morning. A parade is planned in her honor in Barrow County.
Credit: Family photos
NEWS
| 20 hours ago
By Alexis Stevens, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Parade planned to honor 15-year-old Joslyn Stinchcomb
Since July 31, her home has been hospital rooms. But 15-year-old Joslyn Stinchcomb is a fighter.




When she returns Saturday to her Barrow County home, she’ll be greeted by a parade.

“Day 83 and the best news yet!!” a family member posted on Facebook. “Yes! She’s going to be discharged.”




For the teenager and her family, it’s a day they know might never have happened. As Joslyn walked in her neighborhood on a Friday afternoon in July, she was viciously attacked by two pit bulls. The dogs grabbed her hair, ripped off her scalp and left ear, and damaged her trachea, her family said. A neighbor heard screams and called 911, according to a Barrow sheriff’s office report.

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’By the grace of God’: Barrow teenager survives attack by pit bulls
“By the time we got there, she was fighting for her life,” Sheriff Jud Smith told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution days later. “By the grace of God, she didn’t pass away.”

Deputies shot one of the dogs so that it would release the teen, and both animals were later captured and euthanized, Smith said. The dogs were able to escape through a back door that had been left open, the sheriff said. The dogs' owner, Alexandria Torregrossa, was arrested and charged with reckless conduct.

Critically injured, Joslyn was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital for emergency surgery, the first of many she would undergo. She was later moved to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston for additional surgeries and treatment. Her family has said she has extensive nerve damage to her face, with paralysis on the left side.

“She has had 19 surgeries, and although this has been the hardest thing we’ve ever gone through, it has also been a journey that has strengthened our faith and brought us love, encouragement and prayers from people not only all over our community and state, but from countries all over the world,” her family posted on a Facebook page dedicated to Joslyn. “We are humbled and thankful for each one of you.”

Joslyn Stinchcomb, 15, has undergone 19 surgeries since being attacked by two pit bulls July 31.
Credit: Family photo

Joslyn was looking forward to her freshman year in the Winder-Barrow High School marching band. Instead, the band dedicated the season to the injured flute player. Every band member has worn #StayStrongJoslyn on the sleeves of the shirts worn for performances.

On Saturday, the community is asked to line the streets for a parade set to begin around 10 a.m. at the Ingles in Auburn. The route is expected to be Atlanta Highway into Winder, then onto North Broad Street and ending at Winder First Baptist Church.

“Joslyn, you will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers as you continue to heal,” Barrow County Emergency Services posted on Facebook. “We are so glad to have you coming back home to Barrow County.”

So sad this little girl had to go through this.

Hope she can make a full recovery.

So sad. These days, 911 is useless.

Were that my daughter Torregrossa would be worm food.

Yup.

Same here.

Cannot stand that breed. They are useless, and their owner should be charged for this felonious assault. God bless that little girl.

Too late now. Should have been handled preemptively. Loose running pit bulls should be eliminated.

Reckless conduct doesn't seem like a fair charge.
Attempted murder sounds more like it,

"When seconds count, the cops are minutes away"- - - - -that neighbor who called 911 should have had a 1911 in hand, not a phone!

Should be eliminated from society.

Thanks for the update. Joslyn sure has been through allot. I wish her the best and hope she never has to endure anything like this again.

Q: The owner, or the dogs?

A: Yes

I agree. The caller cowered in their house while that little girl got butchered, and waited on the cops to arrive.

Agreed. Merely owning a dog like that should be grounds for a reckless endangerment felony.

Probably some low life bum, like most pit owners, who doesn't have enough assets to make a civil suit worthwhile.

I remember this story.

Thank the Lord for her recovery.

No kidding, Dan. The suffering that poor girl has been put through.

You can't even legally own one in Miami-Dade county. Some hood rats do anyway. But, if it bites someone, look out.

There is no sense in owning one of those dogs. A second degree manslaughter charge might be possible. Be Well, RZ.

One of the pitbulls that mauled this girl along with its wigger owner.

Both breeds should be destroyed.

Poor kid will never fully recover, the dogs scalped her, she has severe nerve damage. Physically and mentally she will deal with this for the rest of her life.

The owners of the dogs should be liable for every cent Joslyn needs for therapy and related medical cost for the rest of their miserable lives. They should also have to compensate her for suffrage and loss of income as she gets older. They refuse to pay, then lock them up charged with attempted murder.

Good news indeed.

I'm glad the girl will survive and hopefully recover well. At least the neighbor called 911. I don't know if the neighbor did anything else to help or not.

I have a plan if something like that would happen here, not sure if it would work, but at least have a plan to react.

1-pull edc.
2-place it on dogs chest (assuming it wont let go of victim) like you would a boar.
3-pull trigger.

if for some odd reason without the edc...use pocket knife and apply the same tactic.

Without a plan, I think most will just kick and scream.

There is a serious problem with your plan. Almost everybody that keeps these killers has not enough money to pay their utility bill. And the law doesn't provide for murder or attempted murder charges for what their worse than worthless monster does. There are criminal and civil actions that can be taken but broke ass people basically are home free. They don't pay for anything. They don't carry liability insurance. These dogs need to be shot on sight. Don't call the police and don't give statements when they do show up.

Surprised that there hasn't been the usual avalanche of posts exonerating the damned dogs and saying that they were raised wrong.

Oh I know, but that's what should happen,,, the owners couldn't care less I'm sure. That's part of the cultural cancer our country is being ruined by. Lack of responsability and lack of accountability.

I'm glad that she survived. At this age, hopefully the nerves will heal too.

I wonder why the owner did not intervene while the dogs first began to attack??? Thirty seconds is a lot of time and damage. I can't imagine however much time for the deputy to show.

This sort of thing is why I don't wait for the police to do something. This little girl's neighbors should have cured this problem before the attack ever occurred. I have a good friend almost 70 years old over in Borger Texas that lives in his childhood home in a neighborhood that has gone to seed. He had a free range big pit bull come over and attempt to attack his watch dog through the fence. I'm not sure what caliber or brand air rifle he used but one shot in the lungs and old Bowser went home and passed away. No noise and no explanation.

She/it had no business owning pit bulls. None.

As I recall, you and I use the same pit bull “re-training, rehabilitation” program .

I’ve not had any pit bull students come by for re-education in quite a while now.

Right. I haven't had any lately either. Cameras are out year round.

Agree, especially the “shot on sight.”