Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Baby boy fights for life after devil dog mauling
Couple held over child neglect
A BABY boy was critically ill last night after being mauled by a Staffordshire bull terrier.
The tot, who may be less than a month old, suffered life-threatening wounds in the attack.
A man aged 31 and a woman, 28, were arrested on suspicion of child neglect. Police seized two Staffordshire bull terriers.
A witness to the early-hours arrests said: “There were seven police vehicles, two police vans, an ambulance and paramedics. Police brought a man and woman out of the house in handcuffs.”
Another resident said of the pair believed to live at the property, in Yaxley, Cambs: “They just seemed like a normal family.”
Of the animals involved in the attack, he added: “The dogs were fine with me.” One neighbour said the man who lived at the property had shown him photos of a newborn three weeks ago.
He said: “He was showing people his new baby because he was so proud of it. I can’t work out what happened.”
The baby was attacked shortly before 2am on Sunday. He was transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. The pair arrested, both of Yaxley, were released on bail.
Police said: “We were called by the ambulance service with reports of concern for a baby boy who had been attacked by a dog.
“He remains in a critical condition. Two dogs taken from the property are in police kennels. Police remain at the scene.”