Emotional Testimony in San Antonio Dog Attack Case
SAN ANTONIO – An emotional courtroom session unfolded on Tuesday as Janie Najera, the widow of Ramon Najera, took the stand during the punishment phase for the owners of the dogs involved in a tragic attack last year. Janie, visibly shaken yet resolute, recounted the horrifying incident that changed her life forever.
Memories of a Lost Love
Janie shared her heartfelt memories of meeting Ramon at a dance in 1974, a beautiful beginning that led to 45 years of marriage. She spoke affectionately about his 21 years of service in the military and his dedication as a civil servant.
On that fateful day in February 2023, Ramon Najera was preparing for work as a part-time security officer. The couple decided to visit a seamstress on Depla Street to get Ramon’s uniform pants altered. As Janie walked to the front door to drop off the clothes, she noticed the dogs at the home of their neighbors, Christian Moreno and Abilene Schnieder, barking loudly. “At that moment, I didn’t think much of it,” she recalled, unknowingly foreshadowing the chaos that was about to unfold.
The Attack
As she made her way back to the car, Janie saw one of the dogs scaling the fence. Her heart raced with fear. “I didn’t even think they would jump over,” she said. Desperate to escape, she rushed to her car where Ramon was waiting. Just as she reached for the door handle of their red Toyota Camry, the dog lunged at her, and she screamed for her husband.
“Ramon, Ramon, the dogs,” she cried, prompting him to leap from the car in a desperate attempt to save her. The situation escalated quickly as Ramon tried to fend off the dog that had latched onto Janie. “He told the dog, ‘leave her alone, leave her alone,’” she recalled, her voice cracking with emotion. Tragically, she watched as the chaos unfolded, her husband becoming a victim of the same attack meant for her.
A Desperate Fight
As chaos engulfed them, Janie lay on the ground in disbelief while Ramon was thrown to the ground by the ferocious animal. In an agonizing moment, a second dog joined the fray, and Janie realized that both of them were fighting for their lives. “I was thinking, ‘this dog is going to finish me up… Jesus cover me,’” she testified, fighting back tears as she relived that horrifying day.
A Heart-wrenching Outcome
Fire crews eventually arrived, but the scene was nothing short of devastating. Janie remembered pleading with the firefighters, “You need to help my husband, my husband needs help.” She was transported to the hospital, where she faced her own injuries, suffering both physically and emotionally. “It was so painful,” she vividly recounted her torment, recalling the rabies shots and treatments she endured after the attack.
Living with Loss
The aftermath of the attack affected Janie’s life in profound ways. “It’s been 18 months since I last saw my husband alive,” she confessed. Grieving and grappling with survivor’s guilt, she finds herself questioning every decision made that day. “I cry in the mornings and grab my pillow and I say ‘how can this happen to us?’”
The Broader Implications
During her testimony, Janie expressed her frustrations with local authorities, highlighting a devastating truth: the city’s system had failed them. The Najeras had filed a lawsuit against the city due to prior complaints about the dogs, which had been returned to their owners despite previous incidents.
“They should have never been returned, never,” she exclaimed. Her attorney stressed that in neighborhoods deemed more affluent, such attacks would likely not occur due to the city’s stricter enforcement of regulations.
Seeking Justice
As the hearing concludes its second day, the state is pushing for a maximum sentence of 20 years for the defendants, while the defense is advocating for probation. Sentencing is set to take place on September 20.
This case reveals not just a personal tragedy, but raises pressing questions about community safety and accountability. For Janie Najera, it’s a fight not only for justice but also to prevent such tragedies from happening to others. “I don’t want nobody to go through what I’ve gone through,” she said poignantly.
