Chris Brown Ordered to Pay $13M to Former Housekeeper After She Was Mauled by His Dog and He Fled the Scene
Chris Brown Ordered to Pay $13M to Former Housekeeper After She Was Mauled by His Dog and He Fled the Scene
Rachel McRadyWed, July 1, 2026 at 1:10 PM UTC
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Credit: Prince Williams/WireImage -
Chris Brown's dog attack left his former housekeeper Maria Avila permanently disfigured and caused her ongoing mobility issues
Brown claimed he warned Avila about the dog's aggression but fled the scene on his manager's advice
Avila's sister and husband were also awarded damages following the 2020 attack at Brown's California home
Chris Brown has been ordered to pay nearly $13 million in damages to his former housekeeper after a brutal dog attack took place in his home in 2020.
A Los Angeles jury ruled in favor of Maria Avila, Brown's former housekeeper, who was attacked by a 200 lbs. Caucasian shepherd named Hades owned by Brown for security purposes.
Following the two-week trial, Brown and his company Black Pyramid LLC have to pay Avila $12.9 million for negligence, according to Billboard.
During the trial, Avila shared that in 2020 she was taking the trash out at Brown's Tarzana, Calif., home when she was attacked by the dog, who ripped out "large chunks of her skin", and left her face and arm permanently disfigured. She's also suffered mobility issues as a result of the attack.
Chris Brown at the Breezy Bowl XX show in New Jersey in August 2025.Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty for Live Nation
Avila's sister, Patricia, who was working when the attack took place, was also awarded $885,000 and Avila's husband, Oscar Olivo, was awarded $50,000, Billboard reports.
Brown detailed finding Avila covered in blood during the trial, sharing his initial reactions and explaining his behavior afterwards.
"The blood kind of freaked me out," Brown said during the case, adding that he was "in shock" when he fled the scene on his manager's advice, per the BBC.
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Brown said he felt it would be a "media circus" if his voice appeared on the 911 call or if he was present when police arrived.
The “No One Else” singer argued that he'd warned Avila and her sister against going near the dogs, whom he called “absolutely not” friendly. However, the sisters claim the conversation never happened and highlighted their language barrier as making the alleged discussion unlikely.
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Brown said he kept the dog for safety as he often finds himself in “stalker-type situations." He is currently on tour with Usher, preparing for shows in Detroit on July 2 and 3.
He's also facing a trial in the U.K. this fall after a 2023 nightclub brawl. In July 2025, Brown pleaded not guilty to causing bodily harm to a music producer. He also denied having an offensive weapon, in this case a tequila bottle, during the alleged attack.
PEOPLE has reached out to Brown's attorney for comment.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
