NEWBORN BOY SAVAGED TO DEATH BY DOG
Man & woman arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after pet kills 12-day-old baby
A BABY boy aged just 12 days has been killed in a savage attack by a dog at home.
Neighbours told how police struggled to remove the “big fluffy” pet after the tragedy in Doncaster. One said: “It’s just so devastating.”
A 35-year-old man and a woman aged 27 were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
NEIGHBOURS yesterday broke down in tears as they told of the horror dog attack that left a newborn baby dead.
One witness revealed police struggled to get the dog away from the scene after it savaged the 12-day-old boy, who died later in hospital from his injuries.
A 35-year-old man and a woman of 27 have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and released on bail pending enquiries.
As floral tributes were pinned to the gates of the house where the baby was killed, Sally Hooley posted: “I drove by as the police were removing the dog.
“The dog was a big fluffy golden dog, it looked harmless at first glance. I couldn’t tell you the breed but three police officers were struggling to control it to get it into the dog van.
“The dog was strong enough to be dragging three officers into the road. “It’s so, so sad.
“It looked like a big fluffy harmless dog. At the end of the day the parents will never get over the loss of their child. No one knows the facts yet apart from a beautiful baby has died.”
A neighbour added: “It’s just so devastating and it’s really hit home today. They’ve got three other children and she’s such a lovely mum.”
Louise Scott wrote: “Absolutely devastating. Two parent have just lost a child and three other children a brother in terrible circumstances. Sleep tight little man.”
Debbie Kitchen, who knows the mum, said: “She would not do anything to put any of her children at risk. RIP little man fly high with the angels.”
It is believed the father of three of the mum’s children passed away 18 months ago. One neighbour said: “She was a brilliant mum but her whole life fell apart when he died.”
Another added: “She had a tough life. I don’t know how she will get past this.
Her partner died about 18 months ago. I felt for her when he died. She’s just a young girl really and would often come round to borrow a cup of milk. She struggled.
“I saw her and the neighbours all out on the street on Sunday and a commotion but I had no idea what had happened.” The baby was attacked at a home in the Woodlands area of Doncaster on Sunday. South Yorkshire Police said: “Officers were called to an address around 3.30pm following reports that a
dog had attacked a child. Emergency services discovered a 12-day-old baby boy had been bitten by a dog and suffered serious injuries.”
The house yesterday stood empty and its curtains were drawn.
A female police liaison officer was talking to residents in a nearby property which had a “dangerous dog” sign on the gate. Two women, one in tears, arrived at the house by car to collect some items but left a few minutes later. In the front garden was a child’s bike lying on it’s side. In the rear garden a large green wooden dog kennel lay empty and a dog lead had been used to keep the gate shut.
A local revealed another baby had died in the area. The resident said: “We’ve had two baby deaths in nine months around here within seven streets of each other. There was the one in Adwick. This is terribly, terribly sad.”
In January a couple were arrested on suspicion of murdering a two-year-old boy. A post mortem found the tot died as the result of a head injury.
No one knows the facts apart from a beautiful baby died SALLY HOOLEY WHO SAW DOG AFTER KILLER ATTACK