Four-year-old girl killed by pet dog at home

UNITED KINGDOM -- A young girl was killed by her pet dog on Tuesday after being shaken like a “rag doll” as her mother desperately tried to free her, neighbours said.

The child, named by police as four-year-old Lexi Branson, died in hospital of her injuries after being attacked at her home by the animal.

The large dog, which is not thought to be a banned breed, had only been living with the family for no more than a few months. Police said it had died but refused to confirm whether officers had destroyed it.

Neighbours described how the little girl’s mother, Jodi Hudson, 30, emerged from her flat after the attack weeping and covered in blood. She is believed to have stabbed the dog to try and get it to free her daughter.

Friend of the family Paul Ryan said: "Jodi is absolutely distraught. She's only had the dog for two months. She picked it up from the pound - it was a dog that had suffered abuse in the past but she said it had a very soft nature.

Looks like an American Bulldog to me

"Lexi was always playing with it.  It's obviously a huge dog, and Lexi wouldn't have stood a chance if it went for her - she's such a small little girl.

"Jodi used to try and walk the dog on a lead, but it would struggle and pulled her over a few times. She would never have dreamt in a million years that something like this could have happened.

"She absolutely adored Lexi, she was her only child and she absolutely doted on her. This is absolutely tragic. We're all in a state of shock."

Lexi, who was born three months premature, had just started primary school in September. She was described as a “lovely lively little girl” who was often seen playing outside her home on her pink bike.

Police were called to Miss Hudson’s flat in a quiet cul-de-sac in the village of Mountsorrel in Leicestershire after the attack at about noon on Tuesday.

Three ambulance crews and an air ambulance were sent to the scene, and Lexi was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, but doctors could not save her.

Shocked residents last night paid tribute to the child and said they had been left “stunned” by the tragedy.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "The whole neighbourhood is in shock now. I heard neighbours saying how the mum told police how her daughter was shaken like a rag doll as she tried to get her free.”

Glenn Shepphard, 36, said the animal had been loud but “didn't seem aggressive”.

He added: "It was a very big dog - a type I have never seen before. I saw Jodi outside with blood and mud up her arm crying outside and mud all up her legs. She had obviously tried to wrestle with the dog.”

Glennis Goddard, 68, said she had stroked the dog and allowed it to lick her hand the other day, and it had appeared “fine”.

She went on: “I have a couple of cats and Lexi would come to the window and ask if they were mine, she was so friendly and such a pretty little girl.”

Another resident, Oliver Temprall, 63, added: "She used to ride up and down passed the house on her little pink bike.

"They have only been here for a year, and have only had that dog a couple of months. It is terrible, I can't imagine how her mum Jodi must be feeling. This has rocked the community, it is such a sad state of affairs.”

Leicestershire Police are investigating the attack but have made no arrests.

A spokesman for the force said: “The dog is understood to have been the family pet. At this stage it is not believed that the dog was of a breed listed under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act.  The child was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, where she has since died.

“The dog died shortly after the incident. Officers are carrying out enquiries at the scene and investigations are in their very early stages.”

Melanie Wright, from the East Midlands Ambulance Service, added: "This was a very distressing 999 call for all concerned, and we are providing support to our colleagues who responded.”

This French Mastiff was not the dog

Reports that a brown French Mastiff-cross carried out the attack have been dismissed by Leicestershire Police. A spokesman said: "Tests are being carried out today to establish the exact breed of the dog but at this stage it is not believed to be a breed listed under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act.

"We can confirm however that the dog being investigated is not the one in the picture that is being widely circulated in the media."

(Telegraph UK - Nov 6, 2013)