Celebrities · Tarzana and Los Angeles
Jury orders Chris Brown to pay $13 million to housekeeper mauled by his dog in 2020 attack
Los Angeles jurors ruled that singer Chris Brown and his company must pay $12.9 million to Maria Avila, who was permanently disfigured when his 90kg Caucasian shepherd attacked her while she worked at his Tarzana home.
AI text based on reports by 20minutes, Correio da Manha, ABC TU DIARIO EN ESPAÑOL and other publishers. Published . How it is made
For membersThe first 30 seconds for everyone. Synthetic voice (AI).
In brief
Maria Avila was mauled by Chris Brown's 90kg Caucasian shepherd, Hades, while taking out the trash at his Tarzana home on Dec. 12, 2020. She suffered permanent facial disfigurement, scarring, partial vision loss, and nerve damage.
The singer testified he left the scene before emergency services arrived, saying he feared a media circus. He also argued the dog was for security, not a pet, and that he had warned the housekeeper about the animals.
After a two-week trial, a Los Angeles jury found Brown and his company Black Pyramid LLC liable for negligence, awarding the sum to Maria Avila. Her sister Patricia received $885,000 for emotional distress, and her husband $50,000.
Avila told the court through an interpreter that surgeries left her unable to bend at the waist and with reduced arm strength. Her daughter said the attack transformed her mother from an outgoing person to one who hides from public view.
Avila sued in 2021. Brown accepted partial liability before trial but disputed the extent of injuries. The June 30, 2026 verdict closes the case.
- 12 DecMaria Avila mauled by Chris Brown's dog, Hades, while working at his Tarzana home.
- 30 JunJury finds Brown and Black Pyramid LLC liable, awards $12.9 million to Avila.
A California jury found Chris Brown liable for negligence after his dog, Hades, violently attacked housekeeper Maria Avila on December 12, 2020. The two-week trial concluded on June 30, 2026, with a verdict awarding nearly $13 million in damages.
The attack
Avila was emptying the rubbish outside Brown's Tarzana property when the massive Caucasian shepherd, kept for home security, attacked without warning. The dog ripped off large pieces of skin, causing permanent facial disfigurement, scarring, partial vision loss, and nerve damage. Avila spent five days in hospital alone due to pandemic restrictions and later required multiple surgeries, including skin grafts from her abdomen to reconstruct her left arm.
“I will never be the same again.”
The trial
During the proceedings, Brown testified that the dog was not his personal pet and that he had warned Avila and her sister Patricia, who also worked at the house, that the animals were "absolutely not" friendly. He claimed Avila was partly at fault for going outside without security. Avila, testifying in Spanish through an interpreter, denied ever receiving such a warning, saying her English was too limited for that conversation.
“The blood scared me. I was in shock.”
Brown admitted to leaving the scene before emergency services arrived, following his agent's advice to avoid a media spectacle. His employees tended to the critically injured housekeeper. The jury heard that he feared his voice on the 911 call would cause a "media circus."
The verdict
Jurors held Brown and his company Black Pyramid LLC liable, ordering them to pay $12.9 million to Maria Avila. Her sister Patricia, who witnessed the attack, received $885,000 for emotional distress. Avila's husband Oscar Olivo was awarded $50,000, having argued the injury harmed their marriage. Attorney Michael C. Murphy Jr., representing Patricia Avila, said the family was "elated" that justice was served after more than five years of litigation.
Aftermath
Avila's daughter testified about her mother's transformation. Once a woman who enjoyed dressing up and socializing, she now avoids public places and does not want anyone to see her face. The nerve damage and hypersensitivity on her left side still make sleeping and daily tasks difficult. She can no longer scrub floors or wring a mop, leaving her unable to return to work as a housekeeper. The award comes as Brown continues his co-headlining tour with Usher across the United States.
“She no longer likes to go out or be around people. She doesn't want anyone to see her face.”
Ask about this text
Sources and context
- 20minutesChris Brown doit verser 13 millions de dollars à son ex-employée de maison
- Correio da ManhaChris Brown condenado a pagar 11 milhões de euros após ataque de cão deixar empregada desfigurada
- ABC TU DIARIO EN ESPAÑOLChris Brown, condenado a pagar 13 millones de dólares a una empleada doméstica atacada por su perro
- Le Figaro.frChris Brown condamné à verser 13 millions de dollars à sa femme de ménage, agressée par un chien
- Chris Brown
- American R&B singer found liable in the dog attack case
- Maria Avila
- Housekeeper who was permanently disfigured in the 2020 dog attack
- Patricia Avila
- Sister of Maria Avila who witnessed the attack and received $885,000 for emotional distress
- Oscar Olivo
- Husband of Maria Avila, awarded $50,000 for loss of marital intimacy
- Michael C. Murphy Jr.
- Attorney representing Patricia Avila in the lawsuit
- Places
- Los Angeles
Pollar is free and carries no ads in the text. Its members keep it going.
Support Pollar