Eight days after 71-year-old Jamaican immigrant Doreen Richards Broadbelt was tragically mauled to death by dogs while walking to work, Miami Gardens police provided an update on the investigation on Tuesday.
Police have now identified six dogs that could have been involved in Broadbelt’s death.
“All the dogs involved were swabbed for DNA testing and it’s going to be compared to the DNA that was found on the victim and it’s going to be sent out to a lab,” Miami Gardens Police Department Sgt. Emmanuel Jeanty said. “Once that information comes back, it’ll give us a clearer picture as to where we are at with the investigation.”
Authorities said some of the dogs have owners, and some have been previously cited by Miami-Dade Animal Services.
On Labor Day, around 4 a.m., Broadbelt was walking along Northwest 196th Terrace and 14th Court when she was attacked. A resident discovered her on the ground and called police. She was found in a field behind Norwood Elementary School. The family later went back to the scene where she was found to lay flowers.
Broadbelt, who worked at Walmart for 13 years, was a mother of four and was married to Donovan Broadbelt for 20 years. Her husband described her as a kind woman that cared for any and everyone in need.
Caribbean-American residents and other members of the community have called on authorities and local leaders to take action regarding aggressive dogs in the area. Broadbelt’s daughter said her mother had long been vocal about the dogs, which would attack her during her daily walks. At one point, she even carried a stick for protection.
The medical examiner ruled Broadbelt’s death accidental, caused by dog mauling. Devastated family members said she was fearful of the dogs in the area.
“Part of our investigation, talking to other neighbors, neighbors have said their dogs have been a victim of an attack and they just didn’t notify the authorities,” Jeanty said, noting that other animals in the neighborhood had also been attacked in the past.
Police said it is still too early to determine what justice will look like for Broadbelt and her family.
“The detectives have been working around the clock to address this,” Jeanty said. “Once we get information from the lab, at that time they’ll put a file together, a case file together, present it to the state attorney’s office and at that time we’ll see what guidance the state attorney gives us to move forward.”
The family continues to await updates and plans to hold a vigil for Broadbelt on Tuesday evening. They have also set up a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses. The page, organized by her daughter Lateisha Wilkinson, states:
“Doreen May Richards Broadbelt was tragically taken from her family when on September 1, 2025, she was mauled and killed by a pack of vicious dogs on her way to work at Walmart. We, the family, are in indescribable shock and grief of the untimely death of our wife and mother. We would like to lay her to a peaceful rest and seek financial assistance to bury her. We currently do not have the finances for this untimely event. Thank you for your assistance.”
Broadbelt and her family hail from Jamaica, highlighting the loss felt not only in Miami Gardens but across the Caribbean-American community.
