Woman Apparently Crushed to Death by Bags of Dog Food

Lelys Campos and her sister worked hard to make their Sylmar home a place where stray and sick dogs could heal their wounds and feel at home.

But their good deed turned to tragedy late Tuesday afternoon, when 160 pounds of dog food fell on Campos’ sister, 60-year-old Melany Paula Campos, apparently crushing her to death.

Melany Campos had been trapped beneath four 40-pound bags of food for hours before Lelys, a physician with a general practice in Sun Valley, found the body about 8:30 p.m.

“My worst thought then was that she had a fracture, but then I saw that she might be dead,” she said.

The sound of the dogs barking unusually loudly and continuously had alerted neighbors that something might be wrong, they told Lelys Campos when she arrived home.

Lelys Campos, who was hoping to open a rescue and recovery center for dogs, said her sister fed, took care of and adored the animals housed at the two-acre farm.