A Los Angeles jury has ordered American singer Chris Brown to pay $12.9 million (approximately ₦19 billion) to his former housekeeper Maria Avila, who was severely mauled and permanently disfigured by his 200lb Caucasian Shepherd dog named Hades in 2020. The verdict, reached after a two-week trial, also awarded additional damages to Avila's sister and husband.
Dog attack left housekeeper with permanent injuries
According to court testimony, Avila was emptying rubbish at Brown's home in Tarzana, California, when the dog attacked her. Avila said the dog ripped off “large chunks of her skin,” causing permanent facial disfigurement, nerve damage, and loss of vision. Surgeons grafted skin from her abdomen to repair her arm, but she still suffers limited mobility. Speaking in Spanish with an interpreter, Avila described the severe scarring on her face and left arm.
Brown admits liability but disputes damages
Before the trial, Brown accepted culpability for the attack but questioned the extent of Avila's injuries and argued she was partially at fault. He claimed he had warned Avila and her sister that the dogs were not friendly and told them only to go outside when security was present. The sisters denied having such a conversation, citing a language barrier. Brown testified that he was indoors when he heard the dog growling and stepped out to find Avila motionless in a pool of blood. He said the blood “freaked him out” and he was “in shock” when his manager advised leaving before paramedics arrived.
Jury awards $12.9 million to victim, additional damages to family
The jury found Brown liable and awarded $12.9 million to Avila, $885,000 to her sister Patricia (who was also present during the attack), and $50,000 to Avila's husband Oscar Olivo. Brown's lawyers had argued the dog was kept for security purposes, not as a personal pet, but testimony revealed that the singer fled the scene instead of calling emergency services or aiding the victim.
Brown's legal troubles continue
This case adds to Brown's history of legal issues. In May 2026, he was arrested in London over a 2023 nightclub incident where he allegedly attacked a victim with a bottle. Despite these legal battles, the singer recently released the deluxe version of his 2026 self-titled album.
