Police say a 53-year-old neighbor faces criminal charges and the dogs were seized by county authorities.
SALEM, Ore. — A 16-month-old girl is recovering at a Portland children’s hospital after two dogs rushed from a neighboring apartment Sunday and mauled her outside her family’s front door, according to Salem police and the child’s mother.
The attack has led to criminal charges for a neighbor and renewed scrutiny of prior complaints about the animals. Police identified the owner as 53-year-old Melinda Walker and said one of the dogs belonged to her and the second was tied to a family member. Both animals were seized by Marion County Dog Shelter while detectives review statements, prior reports, and apartment records. The child, identified by her mother as Adalynn Meade, suffered a skull fracture and severe wounds to the back of her head and remains under surgical care at Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland.
Merissa Corron said she returned from church on Sunday, Nov. 30, with her daughters, ages three and 16 months, and was approaching their northeast Salem apartment when she heard dogs straining at a neighbor’s door. When the door opened, two pit bulls bolted out. Corron pushed her older daughter up the stairs, then reached for Adalynn, who was still near the entry. “For several minutes I tried to shove them off,” Corron said, describing how she dragged her toddler away and then saw the extent of the injuries. She said a roughly 12-by-12 centimeter patch of scalp had been torn away and the toddler was bleeding heavily from bites to her abdomen, face, and back. Neighbors called 911 and the child was taken first to Salem Health, then transferred to Portland.
Police said witnesses at the complex reported earlier run-ins with the same dogs. Corron said she had previously complained to property managers after one of the animals attacked her own dog and bit a relative. Officers cited Walker for having a dog as a public nuisance and booked criminal charges of maintaining a dangerous dog and reckless endangerment. Authorities said both dogs were impounded pending the case review. Corron said a neighbor later texted an apology, and she was told one dog had been euthanized, a detail police had not confirmed as of Sunday night. Hospital staff performed at least one surgery to clean and dress the head wound, and doctors have told the family the toddler did not suffer brain damage but will require additional procedures.
County and local records show prior contacts tied to the animals this year, including a May hearing involving one of the dogs. Separate accounts describe an officer being bitten and a different child injured in earlier incidents. Investigators are working to reconcile those reports with the police department’s current case file, which did not list earlier formal complaints from the apartment complex. The building’s managers told the family they had tried to impose restrictions after learning of aggressive behavior. Residents said the dogs were often heard pushing at the neighbor’s door and had slipped out before, though those incidents were not always reported to authorities.
Walker is due in court after prosecutors review the case and decide on formal charging documents. Police said the investigation remains open while they gather surveillance video and additional witness statements. Animal control officers are evaluating the dogs and will make recommendations to a judge on custody and disposition. The Marion County District Attorney’s Office typically files misdemeanor counts in reckless endangerment and dangerous dog cases within several weeks. The family expects more surgeries and said they plan counseling for the older child, who watched the attack. An online fundraiser has been organized to cover medical costs and time away from work.
On Sunday evening, children played in the courtyard of the northeast Salem complex while yellowing leaves collected along the stairwells. A woman who lives two doors down said she heard screaming and the sound of claws on concrete before sirens arrived. “It was chaos and then it got quiet,” she said. A neighbor described seeing the mother lift the child and press a towel to the back of her head. At the hospital, Corron said Adalynn has been standing, smiling, and trying to walk the halls between bandage changes. “I didn’t know if my baby would live,” Corron said. “Seeing her laugh is everything.”
As of Sunday night, police said the case remains under review and both dogs are held at the county shelter. Officials said the next update is expected after prosecutors complete an initial charging decision later this week.
Author note: Last updated December 8, 2025.