LaSonya Propts says a dog owned by her client’s daughter attacked her in Riverdale early Wednesday morning.
RIVERDALE, Ga. — A Riverdale family is demanding answers after they say their loved one was mauled by a dog earlier this week.
LaSonya Propts has been hospitalized at Emory for several days after the attack on Westley Drive in Riverdale around 2 a.m. on Wednesday. Her daughter, Cierra Reid, says it happened after her mom finished cutting a client’s hair.
“To see her suffer, in the hospital bed, scared for her life and having flashbacks of this dog, who they couldn’t control,” Reid said before getting choked up.
Reid says her mom was attacked by two dogs belonging to her client’s daughter.
“Both of her dogs charged at her,” she said. “She brushed off the little dog, and the big dog attacked her, pushed her on the ground, and at this point, she was telling me that the owner couldn’t even control her dog.”
The family says the larger dog bit Propts multiple times—on her arms, legs, back, and even her lower body. They say it happened twice before she was able to get away.
Fifteen-year-old Bailey Propts, the youngest of LaSonya’s four children, says it’s been hard not having her mom at home.
“I wake up every morning and see my mom, and for me not to see her for like a whole week, it’s just terrible,” Bailey said. “I can’t say good morning to her. I can’t go in there and bother her or anything because she’s not home.”
LaSonya, a master barber, will be out of work while she recovers from her injury. Her daughters say it’s not just her clients who will miss her—she also volunteers every Thursday at a local community center, offering free haircuts.
“She’s the most caring, loving, self-giving person you could ever meet,” Reid said. “She’ll literally give you the shirt off her back and then figure out where she can go get some more shirts from to give to the next person.”
Her love not only reaches people in her community, but also generations.
“Big Mommy brings joy and happiness to everybody,” said Cynergy McLester, one of her grandchildren. “If you knew Big Mommy, you’d know when you get around her, it feels like time stops, and it never keeps going—you could spend ultimate time with her.”
11Alive’s Chase Houle reached out to Propts’ client to ask whether the animal remains in her daughter’s custody. She declined to comment.
We also reached out to the Clayton County Police Department, and a spokesperson stated that officers and animal control responded to the area in response to a report of an animal bite. However, they could not elaborate further as the incident is currently under investigation.
