Girl walking her dog says she was attacked by five men

MARIETTA, Ga. — Two Cobb County parents are outraged after they say their 15-year-old daughter was attacked by five men while she walked her dog.

The girl told Channel 2’s Matt Johnson that despite being out in broad daylight she was knocked to the ground and repeatedly punched.

Some cuts are still visible on Mariah Rowell's face from the day she says five strangers attacked her while she walked her dog.

“I know they hit me in my face, in my head and in my back, and then they took off,” Mariah said about the attack.

The incident happened Thursday just a few doors down from her house.

Mariah told Johnson she was walking her 1-year-old Yorkie "Carlos" at 2 p.m. on Manning Street across from Marietta High School.

“They jumped me, and they said run your pockets and all I said I had was my house keys and a pack of gum,” Mariah said.

They took the gum but she was only worried that they would take Carlos from her while they punched her.

“I was just focused on making sure he didn’t get hurt because they would have killed him because he's so little, he can't do much,” Mariah said.

Mariah said her father was in California for work when the incident happened and took the first flight home when his wife called him.

“There's no reason why five guys should jump on one girl,” her father Danny Rowell said.

He says they've lived in the house for five years and haven't felt unsafe.

“This never happens around here. This was a safe neighborhood,” Rowell said.

Marietta police told Johnson they've increased patrols in the area since the attack.

Mariah says walking her dog won't be the same.

“I'm more aware of my surroundings now. I just pay attention,” Mariah said.

Mariah’s father said he stands outside to watch her walk the dog now, even during the day.

She didn't get a good look at all of her attackers but says they're between 18 and 20 years old.

Cox Media Group