Toledo police have released the audio of a 911 call regarding the death Sunday of a woman that an autopsy determined was caused by a dog.
Medical crews with the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department were called at 7:45 that evening for an unconscious person. Thomas Holloway, of the 600 block of Hamilton Street in central Toledo, had called 911 after finding Emily Kahl, 31, of the same address, on the floor in the home.
“I just got home and I think my roommate had a seizure, fell and hit her head, and she’s cold,” Mr. Holloway told the operator. “She’s not breathing.”
Mr. Holloway owned the dog officials determined had bitten Ms. Kahl. Ms. Kahl also had a canine companion in the home.
In the audio released, which does not include Mr. Holloway’s phone conversation with medical personnel, he does not mention any wounds or blood, but said Ms. Kahl was known to have seizures.
“She’s cold and her eyes is open,” he said. “I just walked in the door.”
Dr. Cynthia Beisser, a deputy Lucas County coroner, determined Thursday the woman suffered dog-bite trauma to the neck. Toxicology tests are pending, but the manner of death was ruled an accident.
Dr. Beisser later said the incident was reportedly unwitnessed and that it is impossible to determine if Ms. Kahl had a seizure before or during the time she was bitten. She also did not know how long the victim had been down before Mr. Holloway found her.
A Toledo police report on the incident is not yet available. A department spokesman said Friday morning there will not be any charges filed at this point in the investigation.
The Lucas County Canine Care & Control seized the dog, named Romeo, on Monday from a relative who had been caring for both him and Ms. Kahl’s dog after the incident. Mr. Holloway visited the shelter Wednesday to surrender Romeo, and the dog was euthanized Thursday.
Mr. Holloway told The Blade he believes someone else was in the house with Ms. Kahl at the time. He said the incident happened outside the view of indoor security cameras, but he claims he can hear a man’s voice offcamera and said Ms. Kahl’s cell phone is missing.
First Published July 23, 2021, 2:34 p.m.
