'The dog's got the baby': Two-year-old girl savaged as she played in garden in Liverpool
The child's aunt was heard screaming as she ran from the house carrying the two-year-old, who was attacked by at least one dog.
Monday 8 May 2017 18:26, UK
A woman ran from her home carrying her niece and screaming "the dog's got the baby" after fighting off an attack which left the little girl seriously injured.
The two-year-old was savaged by at least one dog in her aunt's garden in Cockburn Street, Toxteth, Liverpool.
She sustained "extensive injuries to her face, to her neck and to her body" after several animals got into the garden of the house where she was playing with two other young children.
Neighbours described hearing the little girl's screams as she was attacked.
The American bulldogs - not a banned breed - are believed to have got in through a hole in the fence.
Police confirmed that five adult American bulldogs and six puppies were found at a neighbour's home.
A 35-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of having a dangerous dog, or dogs, out of control.
Police and paramedics were called to the house at 3.40pm on Sunday after reports a child had been bitten and a woman had been injured.
The girl was treated at the scene and then taken by air ambulance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where her condition is described as serious but not life-threatening.
Her aunt was taken to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital to be treated for minor injuries and was later discharged.
Chief Inspector Dave Westby said: "This was a horrific attack which has resulted in a two-year-old girl suffering extensive injuries to her head and body.
"We know one, if not more, of these dogs was involved in the attack but we need to establish what went on.
"If the aunt of that two-year-old child hadn't intervened we could have been looking at a much more serious situation in this case."
He said that three young children aged aged two, four and six were playing in the garden at the time of the attack, along with their 57-year-old aunt.
While she was able to get the two older children back into the house unharmed, she sustained minor injuries while protecting the two-year-old.
Anyone with information can call detectives on 0151 777 4065, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.