A 71-year-old woman was mauled to death by a black bear that broke into her home in California, marking the first fatal attack of its kind in the area in 2023. Patrice Miller was found dead in her home in Downieville, a small mountain community, after authorities conducted a welfare check.
Bear Broke In and Killed Woman
Initially, police thought the bear had found her dead body. However, an autopsy determined that the bear had actually killed the elderly woman. Sierra County Sheriff Mike Fisher told KCRA3 that upon arrival, deputies "immediately saw evidence of bear intrusion into the house. The door was broken. There was bear scat on the porch."
The coroner's report confirmed that "ultimately, the bear caused the woman's death," according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fisher told local media that Miller was killed when the bear swiped or bit her neck.
Previous Encounters With Bears
Miller's daughter said this was not the first time a bear had tried to get into her mother's home "through broken windows, and that her mother had physically hit one to keep it from entering her residence," KCRA reported. She had reportedly named one bear who attempted multiple break-ins a "big bastard."
Authorities said Miller often fed her cats on the porch and had trash on the property, which may have attracted the animals. The male bear was later found and euthanised, adhering to state policy, with a DNA test confirming it was the killer.
Rising Bear Activity in the Area
Bear attacks on humans are uncommon, state wildlife officials said. However, the animals "lose their natural fear of people and their actions get bolder and bolder" when homes and campgrounds are viewed as easy food sources. Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, told the Los Angeles Times: "This is the most extreme example we've seen in state history."
"Since early May, the sheriff's office has been inundated with daily reports from distressed homeowners and business owners regarding bears breaking into residences and vehicles, creating havoc and endangering local residents," the sheriff's office said. "Given the escalating danger posed by the bear's behavior and the imminent threat it presented to residents, deputies were left with no choice but to euthanize the bear in the interest of public safety."
There are between 50,000 to 81,000 black bears in California, according to the state's Department of Fish and Wildlife. Adult males can weigh roughly 400lb.
