Black bear attack northern Az(part 2)
 

Original post....
She has died from brain infection R.I.P. :(

Article from azcentral.com

Lana Hollingsworth has had six surgeries in seven consecutive days since she was mauled by a bear last week.

The 61-year-old Gilbert Fire Department volunteer suffered severe injuries when a black bear attacked her June 28 in Pinetop.

"She'll never be 100 percent again," Robert Goates, Hollingsworth's son, told 12 News on Tuesday. "The doctors made that clear."

Hollingsworth, who was attacked three times by the same bear about 11:30 p.m., suffered most of the injuries to her upper body.

"Her scalp was ripped off either by the bear's claws or his teeth, we don't know," said Hollingsworth's husband, Vern.

He told 12 News that Hollingsworth was scheduled to have her seventh surgery on Wednesday, but it was unclear if the surgery took place.

Hospital officials declined to comment Wednesday, and relatives of the victim did not return calls from The Republic.

Hollingsworth was walking her dog in the Sports Village area of the Pinetop Country Club when she encountered the animal.

According to the state Game and Fish Department, the bear had been scavenging for food in a dumpster about 60 yards away.

Federal wildlife officials responded to the scene and used tracking dogs to locate and kill the bear.

According to Hollingsworth's family, her face is still intact.

"The doctors are all hopeful, and so are we, of course," Vern said.

Game and Fish conducted a forensic investigation to identify if officials had downed the correct bear.

On Friday, the department confirmed that DNA evidence on Hollingsworth's clothing matched that of the bear.

"Confirmation from the DNA tests gives us complete confidence that we removed the right bear in the interest of public safety," said Larry Voyles, Game and Fish director. "Hopefully, correct identification will provide closure for the victim and her family."

Lynda Lambert, a spokeswoman for Game and Fish, said Wednesday that complaints about bears around Pinetop are common.

In the past week, four bears have been relocated and another bear was killed when it broke into a trailer.

The attack on Hollingsworth marked the seventh bear attack in Arizona since state officials began tracking them in 1990.

That sucks, but confrontation with animals is almost inevitable. Stuff like this is unavoidable and was much worse in the past.

Always carry a large caliper loaded weapon when in bear country.

You may just need it ...

people just don't understand building homes in the woods is dangerous. the complex should be gated and spikes on the tops. but it to much of an eye sore. if it can save your life i think its worth it.

I didn't realize Arizona had bears.

:1orglaugh you in tucson?

Thirty miles north of Phoenix and your in another world - and the temperature drops quickly. When we wanted to beat the heat on a weekend we would drive up to Flagstaff for the day.

Most people think of Arizona as "Phoenix" and Route 10.

im a more of a holbrook or snow flaker did you fish up at black canyon?

Yeah most people think of it as just desert, and don't realize AZ has the biggest continuous stretch of ponderosa pine forest in the world.

funeral is today R.I.P.

and landmines, don't forget the landmines.