Daughter arrested after mom dies from injuries in dog attack in Troup Co.

TROUP COUNTY, Ga. (WTVM) - A Troup County daughter has been arrested after her mom died from injuries in a dog attack.

On October 7, at 7:45 p.m., Troup Co. officials received a call from a resident on Terrace Drive stating that an elderly female was screaming from a window that she needed help because her sister was being attacked by dogs inside the home.

Once deputies arrived on scene and entered the home, they made contact with an elderly female laying in the floor suffering from visible wounds. The deputy also encountered three large dogs in the home and had to deploy O/C spray in the direction of the dogs at which time they exited the home through a “doggie door” to the back yard.

80-year-old Rosetta Gesselman was transported to Well Star West Georgia Medical Center where she later died of her injuries.

The Troup County Marshal’s Office responded to the scene to assist in the investigation and the capture of the dogs which were one female pit bull mix and two male pit bull / great mastiff mixes. Officials say one of the dogs was captured and later euthanized and the other two had to be put down by first responders on the scene due to their aggressiveness.

After an investigation, it was determined the dog’s owner, Tongia Gesselman, who is the daughter of the victim, knew the dogs had previously killed family pets and had also bit someone which required a hospital visit. These incidents were never reported by Gesselman and at the time of this incident, Gesselman was not home.

48-year-old Tongia Gesselman is being charged with reckless conduct and felony involuntary manslaughter.