Mom Killed by Pit Bull Adopted a Week Ago

A North Carolina mom of two teens has been mauled to death by the pet pit bull she adopted only a week ago.

Suzanne Story, 36, saw the dog, a female, advertised in the paper; the owners were looking to give her away, claiming she was "well-behaved and good with children," the Daily Mail reports.

Story, who got the animal free of charge, called it her "big baby" -- until it viciously attacked her as she was cleaning its crate on Wednesday afternoon (Feb 10). Story's sister was also injured trying to pull the dog off of her.

Paramedics were called, but Story passed away from her injuries before they could arrive.

Story's step-father, Randy Brown, wants the previous owners held responsible:

I think they had a problem with the dog and didn't know how to handle it, and they were just trying to get rid of it, and they did. Found somebody that would take it, and ended up with a death.

A neighbor spotted Story having difficulties walking the dog just days before the attack.

Story is also survived by her mother and two daughters, ages 17 and 15.