Recent Antifreeze Poisoning Cases

Antifreeze Bittering Act - In the News

House Committee Passes Antifreeze Bill July 12, 2006 (Washington, DC) -- Today the U.S. House Commerce committee held a favorable mark-up and passed the Antifreeze Bittering Act (H.R. 2567). Earlier this year, a subcommittee hearing was held in the U.S. House Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials where DDAL presented testimony in support of H.R. 2567. In November 2005 the Senate Commerce Committee favorably reported out of committee the Engine Coolant and Antifreeze Bittering Agent Act.

Recent Antifreeze Poisoning Cases

This compendium is based on news reports DDAL has received, not on an exhaustive search of databases. Animal poisonings are listed first, followed by human poisonings.

ANIMAL POISONING CASES

This selection of cases includes both intentional and accidental poisonings. Annual estimate is 10,000 animals are poisoned by antifreeze; one survey placed the number of animal deaths at 90,000.

September 11, 2006 (South Brunswick, NJ): Three dogs died and three were fighting for their lives after being deliberately poisoned by antifreeze-laced hamburger thrown into their yard.

August 31, 2006 (Madison, WI): Appeals court reduced the damages a jury had awarded a man whose neighbor fatally poisoned his dog with antifreeze in 2003.

August 4, 2006 (Gautier, MS): During the investigation of the torture of one puppy, it was dis-covered that 3 of his littermates were killed with antifreeze.

July 20, 2006 (Athens, GA): Police arrested a woman accused of killing her neighbor’s dog with antifreeze-tainted food and causing another dog to get sick, also allegedly from antifreeze.

June 2006 (Lake Charles, LA): Laura Babineaux talks to KPLC-TV about the death of her dog, Bella, from possibly intentional antifreeze poisoning.

June 19, 2006 (Roanoke, VA): A man faces a felony animal cruelty charge for the alleged fatal poisoning of his neighbor’s dog with antifreeze.

June 15, 2006 (Mifflinburg, PA): Police are investigating the fatal antifreeze poisoning of a mother cat and her two kittens.

May 2006 (Wichita, KS): Yetie, an 8-year-old golden retriever, had to be euthanized after suffering kidney failure as a result of antifreeze poisoning. Her owner learned that the same thing had happened to her neighbor’s dog 10 months earlier.

May 24, 2006 (Millersville, MD): Two dogs were poisoned, and one had to be euthanized, after ingesting biscuits that had been soaked in antifreeze. The biscuits were found in their backyard.

May 24, 2006 (WI): The Wisconsin SPCA posted a warning about an “animal abuser who is attempting to get a dog.” The posting noted that before checking herself into a mental health facility, this woman “fed antifreeze to 2 of her 5 dogs and to 2 of her cats who all died at Milwaukee Area Animal Domestic Control. After she got out of the mental institution, she poisoned her only remaining 3 dogs with antifreeze. All 3 died at the Bluemound Animal Hospital.” She has a history of adopting animals, then poisoning them and claiming someone else had done it.

May 23, 2006 (Bangor, ME): WABI-TV Channel 5 reports that a “rash of pet poisonings has continued. The latest case was reported in Anson where two dogs had to be put to sleep after drinking anti-freeze.” Cans of antifreeze were left on the owners’ properties.

May 12, 2006 (Pflugerville, TX): One family’s 3 dogs deliberately poisoned with antifreeze by unknown person.

May 6, 2006 (Knox, TX): The Times Record News publishes a story on new cases of intentional poisonings of dogs. It was reported that antifreeze killed two other dogs in March.

May 5, 2006 (Bartlett, TN): On March 31, Mickey, a sheltie belonging to the Thompson family, died of antifreeze poisoning.

May 2, 2006 (Tampa Bay, FL): Man in Lutz, FL, charged for the second time with animal cruelty; police reported that “a bowl was found in [his] back yard full of a deadly mixture of dog food and antifreeze.”

April 29, 2006 (Livingston Co., NY): “Investigators in Livingston County are working to find the person or persons intentionally poisoning dogs with antifreeze…” A Cornell University toxicologist “found chunks of meat that were not digested and that were laced with a large dose of antifreeze.” (WHAM Ch. 13, Rochester, NY, Apr. 29, 2006)

April 22, 2006 (Britt, MN): The Mesabi Daily News reports on a of lack of progress in the finding person(s) responsible for causing the deaths of 3 dogs last fall by lacing hot dogs with antifreeze.

April 22, 2006 (Lutz, FL): A 16-year-old dog died after eating from a bowl in a neighbor’s yard. A bowl matching the description was found to contain dog food mixed with engine coolant.

April 3, 2006 (Anderson Co., TN): Several animals in one neighborhood have died, apparently as a result of antifreeze poisoning. Tests confirmed antifreeze poisoning as the cause of death for 3 cats; other pets who died exhibited signs of having ingested antifreeze.

April 2006 (Stockton Springs, ME): A family forced to euthanize its dog and cat after they were both poisoned with antifreeze by an unknown person.

March 30, 2006 (Abbott, ME): Local authorities are investigating the suspicious deaths of two dogs, who may have ingested antifreeze-tainted meat. Two other dogs survived.

March 23, 2006 (Millvale, PA): A 2-1/2 year old terrier was euthanized after ingesting antifreeze, which surrounded a drain behind the house.

March 10, 2006 (TN): A story is published in The Tennessean paper on coping with the loss of a pet including the story of a woman forced to euthanize her beloved dog after he accidentally ingested antifreeze.

February 10, 2006 (U.S. Virgin Islands): At least five pets - two dogs and three cats - have died in the last two weeks from antifreeze poisoning, according to veterinarians. While noting that antifreeze poisoning is a common accident, one of the vets said this many deaths in such a short period could be “malicious.” The owner of one of the dogs said that several dogs in his neighborhood had died recently.

January 12, 2006 (PA): The Calisiti family’s two dogs, Duke, a 7-year-old beagle-Lab mix, and Bailey, a 3-year-old yellow Lab, had to be euthanized after ingesting antifreeze. It is not yet known whether these were deliberate or accidental poisonings.

January 11, 2006 (Sudbury, VT): According to police, the dog's owner let the two dogs, a collie and a corgi, out on their property on the morning of Jan. 11, 2006; when the dogs returned, they were severely vomiting. The dogs were rushed to the vet, who diagnosed antifreeze poisoning. Both dogs were euthanized the following day as a result of the poisoning. Authorities to believe the dogs may have been intentionally poisoned.

January 2006 (LA): Discovery of 13 cats in New Orleans who had died of antifreeze poisoning.

December 2005 (GA): Death of 10 year-year old chow-mix, Buster.

December 3, 2005 (Tyler, TX): The Morgan family’s dog, a chow-retriever mix, and the Smith family’s two dogs, a bull mastiff and a Jack Russell terrier, all died after ingesting antifreeze. The cases are being treated as intentional poisonings.

December 1, 2005 (Avoca, IA): Police officer’s K-9 drug dog was poisoned with antifreeze. Dog recovered.

November 29, 2005 (Cornelius, NC): Woman charged with cruelty and disorderly conduct for poisoning neighbor’s cat with antifreeze; cat expected to recover.

November 10, 2005 (Spanaway, WA): Judge rejects plea deal in case of woman charged with poisoning neighbor’s 3 cats with antifreeze, determining that she should go to trial on the 3 felony charges.

November 3, 2005 (Bellevue, NE): A couple’s 2 huskies died after eating antifreeze-tainted meat.

October 26,2005 (Belle Vernon, PA): Police investigating 2 recent dog poisonings, one definitely attributable to antifreeze, the other undetermined as of yet.

October 20, 2005 (Palm Bay, FL): Ducks poisoned by antifreeze left open on a patio.

August 28, 2005 (Bryan-College Station, TX): 12 dogs within 5 blocks of one another die after ingesting antifreeze.

August 17, 2005 (Ketchikan, AK): Couple writes of the death of their black lab from ingesting antifreeze that had been spilled on a boat ramp.

July 31, 2005 (Hickory, NC): Dog dies after ingesting antifreeze. (Not able to ascertain whether intentional or accidental poisoning.)

July 19, 2005 (Elgin, AZ): 2 of 3 family dogs die from antifreeze poisoning; 3rd dog disappears.

July 18, 2005 (Mt. Oliver, PA): Antifreeze suspected in deaths of 3 dogs on the same block.

April 2005 (Rankin, MS): 2, possibly 3, dogs die as a result of antifreeze poisoning.

February 17, 2005 (Jacksonville, FL): Man admits to killing neighbor’s dog with antifreeze.

January 2, 2005 (Orlando, FL): 2 dogs in same neighborhood die after eating antifreeze-laced food.

August 2004 (Voluntown, CT): Neighbor confessed to setting out antifreeze-tainted meat in order to poison neighbor’s cats. One cat died.

July 2004 (Missoula, MT): Family dog poisoned by antifreeze; dying dog rushed to the airport where the son was readying to ship out with the National Guard so he could say goodbye.

HUMAN POISONING CASES

May 31, 2006 (E. Baton Rouge, LA): A three-year-old boy died after drinking antifreeze left in a cup on a bedroom dresser by his father’s girlfriend. The intended use of the antifreeze was to poison some dogs hanging around the house. The woman was booked on one count of negligent homicide.

April 2006 (Milwaukee, WI): The state Supreme Court will rule on the admissibility of evidence in the trial of a man accused of murdering his wife, who died from a lethal dose of ethylene glycol.

February 9, 2006 (Anne Arundel Co., MD): Firing of police officer upheld for failing to obtain medical care for prisoner who later died from having ingested antifreeze (had already ingested it at the time of his arrest for drunk driving).

February 2, 2006 (Tallahassee, FL): Story about bribery case against former FL Senate president and Escambia Co. commissioner noted that a fellow county commissioner who had testified against him committed suicide by drinking antifreeze.

January 27, 2006 (Pittsburgh, PA): Terry Long, a former player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, committed suicide by drinking antifreeze, and did not die as a direct result of football-related head injuries as first reported.

January 11, 2006 (Marietta, GA): Judge denied request for new trial for woman convicted of killing her policeman husband with antifreeze in 1995. She is scheduled to be tried later in the 2001 antifreeze poisoning death of her firefighter boyfriend.

November 16, 2005 (Orlando, FL): A Lake Mary area woman faces a charge of attempted murder after authorities accused her of giving her husband a glass of antifreeze, Seminole County deputy sheriffs said today.

November 14, 2005 (Marietta, GA): Request made for new trial for woman convicted of killing her husband with antifreeze in 1995. Request based on introduction during the first trial of evidence that she had killed her boyfriend with antifreeze in 1989. She is scheduled to be tried later in the antifreeze poisoning death of her boyfriend in 2001.

November 10, 2005 (Cambridge, MA): MO talk show host arraigned in MA court accused of killing wife in 2004 (when they lived in MA) by spiking her Gatorade with antifreeze over a period of time.

November 3, 2005 (Kansas City, KS): A couple accused last year of trying to kill the mayor of Edwardsville and her family with tainted cupcakes and root beer laced with antifreeze were sentenced Thursday to probation.

October 21, 2005 (Belton, MO): Police arrest woman in CA for 1993 antifreeze poisoning death of her husband.

July 2004 (Shamong Twp., NJ): Woman charged with killing her brother-in-law by spiking his fruit drink with antifreeze.

In 2003: Ingestions of antifreeze by children between the ages of 6 and 19: 1,395. No deaths reported.

In 2002: Intentional antifreeze ingestions/suicides: 21