Police: Antioch woman died of natural causes before being bitten by dogs

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The Lake County Sheriff's Department said a woman found dead in an Antioch house died of natural causes before she was discovered with dog bite marks on her body Tuesday evening.

The woman's body was found at a house on the 26000 block of West Channel Avenue on Tuesday.

The woman had multiple bite marks, apparently from a German shepherd and a lab-chow mix.

"The bites were very extensive, there were multiple bites all over the 71-year-old's body from her head to her toes," said Detective Christopher Covelli.

The victim's 23-year-old grandson came home from work and found his grandmother dead in a bedroom inside their home. The German shepherd was found wandering the neighborhood.

The sheriffs department says the elderly woman was so badly mauled it will take dental records to positively identify her. A spokesman said they are looking into whether there were any calls or complaints about the dogs being aggressive.

A neighbor who saw the dog earlier Tuesday said it appeared calm. However, he also says everyone on this block is just stunned.

"Very disturbing. I saw the dog out earlier, was working in my yard, the dog came over, playful dog, you know, no signs of aggression...and finished my work, walked back out in the front, I saw the distraught  grandson," neighbor Billy Schroeder said. "I said 'what's going on, are you OK' and he said 'no my grandma is gone.' I said what happened to grandma, he said my dog attacked her."

Lake County Animal Control officers were also called to the scene and the dogs were taken away.