A woman was killed by her mother's pit bull during an argument Saturday.
Christine Staab, 37, fell during that dispute with her mom, and that's when one of the mother's dogs attacked Staab, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The mom, Barbara Erb, said she tried desperately to stop the attack, but wasn't able to get the pit bull to let go of her daughter's throat.
The dog "was in some kind of protective mode," Erb told the Inquirer.
Erb called police who came to her home and shot the attack dog and a second dog that "lunged" at the officers.
Four other dogs were removed from the home and were being held in quarantine.
Staab's death is believed to be the first fatal dog attack in the city in more than 25 years, according to the Inquirer.
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Christine and her mom were fighting because Christine, who had kicked a drug habit once before, had come home high, according to her mom.
Erb said she told Christine she couldn't deal with that sort of behavior anymore and then told the daughter she had to go.
"She was telling me where was she supposed to go," Erb said, when Christine tripped and fell.
That's when the pit bull went "nuts" which Erb said she couldn't understand because her dogs had never behaved like that before.
"They were spoiled rotten. . .They weren't neglected in any way."
Staab's attack was one of three vicious dog attacks over the weekend in Philadelphia.
A 10-year old was attacked Sunday on a ballpark in East Frankford.
On Friday, a 52-year old woman nearly lost her hand when her pet pit bull latched onto her wrist and refused to let her go.
