Alabama woman killed by dogs while investigating dog attack, owner arrested: sheriff

Brandy Dowdy was arrested following the fatal attack and charged with manslaughter and dangerous dog law. (Franklin County Sheriff's Office)

An Alabama woman was arrested Friday after a pack of dogs attacked and killed an employee of the state who was investigating a dog attack that occurred earlier in the week, authorities said.

The fatal attack happened when Jacqueline Summer Beard, an Alabama Department of Public Health employee, went to follow up on alleged incident involving dogs owned by Brandy Dowdy, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said. Dowdy’s dogs allegedly attacked a woman earlier last week.

Beard’s body was found earlier on Friday after deputies responded to calls of a suspicious vehicle on Crumpton Road outside of Red Bay.

When deputies arrived on Crumpton Road, the sheriff’s office said they witnessed several dogs start attacking residents, with one resident suffering minor injuries.

"Some of the dogs had to be euthanized immediately," the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators determined Beard was killed by the same "dangerous" pack of dogs that she was investigating as she attempted to contact the dogs’ owner, authorities said.

Dowdy was charged with manslaughter and dangerous dog law.

Read more of this story on FOX News.