A 38-year-old Oklahoma mother of four remains in critical condition after being savagely mauled by an unidentified animal in rural Blanco. Alicia Maxey was found unconscious and severely injured in a remote yard on Sunday morning by a nearby homeowner who is also a certified EMT.
Maxey was airlifted to St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa, where she has undergone four extensive surgeries. Her sister-in-law, Kat Kelley, stated on a GoFundMe page that Maxey was “mauled by a dog,” which remained at the scene. However, due to the unusual severity of her injuries, Oklahoma Wildlife Services is assisting authorities in identifying the animal. Torn clothing and other material are being analysed for DNA to determine whether the attacker was a dog, bear, mountain lion or another creature.
“In 38 years, I’ve never been involved in or seen anything like this in terms of injuries caused by a wild animal,” Pittsburg County Sheriff Frankie McClendon told Fox 23. Kelley said Maxey reported hearing a “deep growl” just before the attack. “Something just pounced on her and knocked her to the ground,” Kelley said. “She described it as dog-like, but she didn’t say for certain that it was a dog.”
Maxey’s family is facing severe financial and logistical challenges. Her husband, Wallace, is on dialysis and awaiting a kidney transplant, while Alicia was the primary income earner for their household, including their two daughters. “Now, with Alicia unable to work, their family is struggling to keep up with daily expenses,” Kelley said. “Their only vehicle was towed after the incident and is accumulating fees every day, making it even harder for Wallace to get to his dialysis appointments, which are almost two hours away.”
Wallace told Fox 23 about his wife’s condition: “When I first walked in and I saw her, I just broke down and started crying. I wasn’t expecting this. Alicia is a loving, caring person. It doesn’t matter who you are, she will sit there and help you the best that she can.”
