Animal attacks, kills North Carolina high school teacher

PANTEGO, N.C. – School officials say a 77-year-old North Carolina high school teacher died from injuries suffered in an animal attack. But authorities say they can’t tell exactly which animal.

Pungo Christian Academy said in a Monday Facebook post that Brenda Hamilton died after the Friday animal attack in the small Beaufort County town of Pantego.

News outlets report authorities received a 911 call Friday around 5:45 a.m. that someone had been attacked on a road. A county sheriff’s office statement says Hamilton was found suffering from severe injuries from the attack.

Investigators are trying to determine what kind of animal was involved in the attack. Authorities say canine DNA was found on Hamilton’s clothing, but that the testing didn’t differentiate between wild canines such as wolves and domestic canines.

Investigators are collecting DNA from domestic canines for further testing.