Saturday, December 29, 2007
Strange News: Baby Boy Mauled To Death By Dog
The teenage aunt of a baby boy mauled to death by a Rottweiler bravely tried to rescue him from the clutches of the 10-stone dog, police have said.
Thirteen-month-old Archie-Lee Andrew Hirst was killed when the dog snatched him from the arms of his young cousin at his grandparents' home in Wakefield.
The baby, who was described as having been a "thriving child", was found with serious injuries by paramedics in the back yard of the house where he was spending the Christmas holidays.
Police said Archie-Lee was being carried by his seven-year-old cousin to the kitchen door, which leads to the back yard where his grandparents' pet was kept.
The seven-year-old intended to stroke the dog but after the door was opened, the dog snatched the one-year-old from the youngster and carried him into the yard.
Clearly distressed, the child then alerted his 16-year-old aunt, who was upstairs at the time.
The teenager attempted to recover Archie-Lee but the dog would not let go of the child and she went back inside the house to call the emergency services, who arrived and took him to Pinderfields General Hospital.
Detective Superintendent Steve Payne, who is leading the investigation, said: "Clearly our thoughts go out to the family at this tragic time.
"The circumstances of the incident are still unfolding and we are speaking to the children that were present at the scene.
"What we know at this time is that the dog was a family pet, a two and a half year old female Rottweiler, which the family had owned for about six months.
"Although the dog lived in the yard of the premises, it had interacted with members of the family including children, and another dog and cat at the house, and had showed no previous signs of any aggression.
"Armed officers who attended the scene found the Rottweiler in an agitated state and clearly representing a potential danger to others, and a decision was made to destroy the animal."
Rottweiler attacks are rare but when they do happen the injuries are significant, Chris Window from the Rottweiler Club said.
"All breeds of dogs are animals. They do revert to animal instincts. If a dog is confronted with a situation they are not used to, they can react unexpectedly," he said.
He added: "If a dog is brought up in a household where there are no children you have got to be extra careful where children are present."
Thirteen-month-old Archie-Lee Andrew Hirst was killed when the dog snatched him from the arms of his young cousin at his grandparents' home in Wakefield.The baby, who was described as having been a "thriving child", was found with serious injuries by paramedics in the back yard of the house where he was spending the Christmas holidays.
Police said Archie-Lee was being carried by his seven-year-old cousin to the kitchen door, which leads to the back yard where his grandparents' pet was kept.
The seven-year-old intended to stroke the dog but after the door was opened, the dog snatched the one-year-old from the youngster and carried him into the yard.
Clearly distressed, the child then alerted his 16-year-old aunt, who was upstairs at the time.
The teenager attempted to recover Archie-Lee but the dog would not let go of the child and she went back inside the house to call the emergency services, who arrived and took him to Pinderfields General Hospital.
Detective Superintendent Steve Payne, who is leading the investigation, said: "Clearly our thoughts go out to the family at this tragic time.
"The circumstances of the incident are still unfolding and we are speaking to the children that were present at the scene.
"What we know at this time is that the dog was a family pet, a two and a half year old female Rottweiler, which the family had owned for about six months. "Although the dog lived in the yard of the premises, it had interacted with members of the family including children, and another dog and cat at the house, and had showed no previous signs of any aggression.
"Armed officers who attended the scene found the Rottweiler in an agitated state and clearly representing a potential danger to others, and a decision was made to destroy the animal."
Rottweiler attacks are rare but when they do happen the injuries are significant, Chris Window from the Rottweiler Club said.
"All breeds of dogs are animals. They do revert to animal instincts. If a dog is confronted with a situation they are not used to, they can react unexpectedly," he said.
He added: "If a dog is brought up in a household where there are no children you have got to be extra careful where children are present."
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