BABY KILLED BY DOG ATTACK INQUEST

Coroner offers condolences to baby Reuben’s parents

A baby boy suffered ‘catastrophic’ injuries when he was attacked by two dogs at his home in Yaxley, an inquest has heard.

Reuben McNulty was just five weeks old when he died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge on December 13 last year.

He was attacked at his home in Yaxley in the early hours of November 18 and admitted to hospital the same day.

Tiny Reuben suffered fatal injuries to his brain, along with other injuries in the tragic attack.

The two dogs have since been destroyed, and police have confirmed they are not treating the incident as ‘suspicious.’

This week, David Heming, Cambridgeshire’s senior coroner opened an inquest into the case, and along with outlining brief facts about the case, offered condolences to Reuben’s parents.

Mr Heming said Reuben “suffered catastrophic injuries ... as a result of being attacked by his parents’ Staffordshire bull terriers at their home address”.

He said Reuben sustained a traumatic brain injury, with complications of renal failure and gastrointestinal failure.

“All these injuries are consistent with a dog attack,” he said.

He added: “The events surrounding the tragic death of Reuben are clearly devastating for his parents and I would like to express my condolences and extend my sympathies towards them.”

He opened the hearing in Huntingdon on Monday, January 7, and adjourned it for a full inquest which will be heard on May 16 this year.

Paramedics were called to the family home in Wykes Road, Yaxley, at about 1.45am and Reuben was taken to Peterborough City Hospital with severe head injuries.

Neighbours described being woken up when the emergency services arrived at the home.

He was later transferred to Addenbrooke’s where he remained until he died.

His parents, Daniel McNulty and Amy Litchfield, are believed to have been questioned by police and released pending further inquiries.

Amy’s father said the couple had been by Reuben’s bedside in hospital following the attack.

Cambridgeshire Police said in a statement in December that two Staffordshire bull terriers had been destroyed as a result of the incident. They had previously been kept in police kennels during the investigation.

The statement added: “A 28-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, both from Yaxley, who were arrested on suspicion of child neglect, have been released under investigation.

“The death is not being treated as suspicious and has been handed to the coroner.”

‘The events surrounding the tragic death are clearly devastating’ Coroner David Heming

Police at the scene of the dog attack in Yaxley