A 71-year-old woman was walking to work on a Monday morning in Miami Gardens when, according to NBC 6 South Florida, she was attacked and killed by one or more dogs near Norwood Elementary School in September 2025.
The family of Doreen Richards Broadbelt told reporters that she’d worked at Walmart for over a decade and walked that same route every day. This wasn’t the first time dogs in the area had gone after her. She carried a stick to protect herself.
What We Know About the Attack
Miami Gardens police found Broadbelt unresponsive near Northwest 196th Terrace and 14th Court shortly after 7:30 a.m. She had multiple dog bite injuries. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue pronounced her dead at the scene.
Investigators collected DNA samples from dogs in the surrounding neighborhood, but as of the most recent reports, they hadn’t identified the animals responsible or their owner. Neighbors described ongoing problems with aggressive and stray dogs in the area well before this attack occurred.
How Florida Law Handles Dog Bite Cases
Florida doesn’t require a victim to prove that a dog was known to be dangerous.
Under Fla. Stat. § 767.04, dog owners are strictly liable for injuries their animals cause, whether the bite happens in a public space or on private property where the victim is lawfully present. It doesn’t matter if the dog never showed aggression before. The owner is still responsible.
The law does account for situations where a victim’s own negligence may have contributed to the incident. But proving that falls on the dog owner, not the injured person.
Liability Can Extend Beyond the Owner
The dog’s owner isn’t always the only party who bears responsibility. Depending on the facts, a claim may also involve:
- Landlords or property owners who knew a dangerous animal was on the premises and didn’t act
- Property management companies that failed to enforce pet policies
- Government agencies that received complaints about aggressive animals and didn’t respond
That last point matters in this case. Residents reportedly raised concerns about stray dogs in the Miami Gardens neighborhood long before the fatal attack took place.
Acting Quickly Matters
Florida gives personal injury and wrongful death victims two years to file a lawsuit. That applies to dog bite cases, too. Two years can feel like a long time, but it goes fast when you’re focused on recovering from an injury or grieving a loss.
Evidence in these cases can disappear. Dogs get relocated. Witnesses become harder to track down. Animal control records and medical documentation all need to be gathered and reviewed early. Waiting too long weakens a case, and in some situations, it can eliminate the right to file one altogether.
What Compensation Looks Like
Every dog bite case is different, but certain types of damages come up repeatedly:
- Emergency medical treatment, surgeries, and ongoing rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages and reduced future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Funeral expenses in wrongful death cases
- Loss of companionship for surviving family members
A Coral Springs, FL dog bite lawyer can look at the specific facts of an attack and figure out who should be held accountable. These cases often involve more than one liable party, and an experienced attorney knows where to look.
Dog Attacks Happen Across Broward County
These incidents aren’t limited to one neighborhood. They happen on sidewalks, in parks, and in residential communities throughout Coral Springs and the rest of Broward County. When someone’s dog injures or kills another person because the owner failed to control the animal, Florida law holds that owner accountable.
If you or a family member has been hurt in a dog attack in Coral Springs, FL, you don’t have to sort through the legal process on your own. A Coral Springs dog bite lawyer at The Andres Lopez Law Firm can review your situation, answer your questions, and help you take the right steps forward.