Singer-songwriter Chris Brown has been ordered to pay nearly $13 million in damages after a Los Angeles jury found him negligent in connection with a brutal dog attack involving his former housekeeper. The civil verdict stems from a 2020 incident that left the victim with severe and permanent injuries.
According to reports, Maria Avila, Brown’s former housekeeper, was attacked by a 90-kilogram Caucasian Shepherd named Hades at the singer’s home in Tarzana, California. During the trial, Avila testified that she was taking out the trash when the dog attacked her, causing devastating injuries by tearing large portions of skin from her face and arm. The attack reportedly left her permanently disfigured and with lasting mobility issues.
Following a two-week trial, the Los Angeles jury ruled in Avila’s favour, ordering Chris Brown and his company, Black Pyramid LLC, to pay $12.9 million in damages for negligence. The court also awarded compensation to Avila’s family members, with her sister Patricia Avila receiving $885,000 and her husband Oscar Olivo being awarded $50,000.
During the proceedings, Brown described finding Avila covered in blood and admitted that he left the scene shortly afterward. He claimed he acted on his manager’s advice, saying he feared his presence would create a “media circus” if he appeared during the emergency response. Brown also testified that he kept the dog for security purposes due to concerns about stalkers and insisted he had warned Avila and her sister to stay away from the animal because it was not friendly.
However, Maria Avila and her sister denied ever receiving such a warning. They argued that the alleged conversation never took place and pointed to the language barrier between them and Brown as making such a discussion unlikely. The jury ultimately found Brown liable for negligence, resulting in one of the most significant civil judgments against the singer in recent years.