Mum screamed 'my baby is dead' after girl mauled to death in 'XL bully' attack

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A mum screamed "my baby is dead" after her daughter was mauled to death by a reported XL bully in her home.

The child, 10, died after suffering serious injuries following the dog attack on Friday afternoon. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene.

The alarm was initially raised by horrified onlookers, who heard the mother screaming 'my baby is dead. My baby is dead', as she ran outside the family's static caravan in East Heslerton, North Yorkshire. The child has recently told her friends about her "new pet", which she described to be an "XL bully".

The Mirror reports that the dog was destroyed after the attack.

One neighbour said on Sunday: “It is just a horrible tragedy. She was such a sweet thing. I only know her because she would come to the park to play. Everybody is totally shocked and upset about it. The family have not lived here long. I have only met her. I have never met her mum and dad. She would come to the park and play on the swings and I would pass the time of day with her. She was a lovely little girl - really chatty. It is just so sad.”

The family moved into the static caravan in a private yard behind a shop in the summer. It's understood they may be related to the land owners. The dog was said to be a recent addition to their family, which some residents on a neighbouring holiday caravan park had reportedly seen walking around without a muzzle.

A caravan site official said: “We knew they had an XL bully dog. We only knew [the girl] because her mum had asked if she could play in the park and we said ‘Of course she can’. [The girl] told us she had a new dog. It was not that long ago. We used to come into the park and play with the other children. I have never seen or heard of a dog and I am here every day. There have been a couple of incidents when people had seen the dog come as far as the yard gate without any muzzle or lead on and that was a bit scary. [The girl] had said to herself ‘We have got a new pet’. Other children who played with [the girl] in the yard said it was a family pet.”

Tributes have flooded in on social media for the youngster, as one woman posted on Facebook: “Such sad news. My heart goes out to the family. RIP.” Another said: “Rest peacefully young lady condolences to all concerned.”

It became a criminal offence to own an XL bully without an exemption certificate under new laws in February. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 30 deaths caused by dog attacks in 2023 - more than double the total deaths recorded in 2022.

A statement from North Yorkshire Police said: "A 10-year-old girl has died after being bitten by her family’s dog. North Yorkshire Police were called to the incident by Yorkshire Ambulance Service at around 4.15pm on Friday 1 November. It happened inside the family’s home in the Malton area. Despite the efforts of medical professionals and a member of the public who came to the family’s aid, tragically, the girl died at the scene after suffering serious injuries.

"Following the incident, the dog was secured inside a car by a family member prior to the arrival of the emergency services. It was then seized by officers who took it to secure kennels where it remains at this time. The dog is being assessed as part of the investigation. Our thoughts remain with the girl’s family and friends at this very distressing time. Officers are supporting the family while enquiries continue."

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