The mum, who has not been named, cried out to her husband 'The dog's got the baby' - after she walked into the baby boy's room and found him on the floor
A horrified mum has told of the terrifying moment she woke up to find her five-week-old baby boy was snatched from her arms and killed by the family's American Staffordshire terrier.
The mum, who has not been named, cried out to her husband: “The dog's got the baby" after she walked into the baby's room and found him on the floor. Details of the harrowing scene were shared on Monday at the NSW Coroner's Court in Sydney's west, Australia, where authorities are looking into seven deadly dog attacks occurring between 2019 and 2021.
Just five weeks before the baby was killed, the same dog also killed a co*cker spaniel in a neighbouring property.
Coroner Carmel Forbes, who is investigating the attacks, will look into what breeds the dogs were and how councils and other bodies responded to the incidents. The first death being looked at is of a five-week-old boy in regional NSW in 2021. The court has ordered keeping the name of the baby, or any information which may identify his parents, private.
Time for action on Danger Dogs
The Mirror is calling for:
■ 1 The overhaul of the Dangerous Dogs Act. An urgent review of the law is needed and tougher penalties should be considered.
■ 2 Enforce the rules to stop the illegal and irresponsible breeding and selling of dogs.
■ 3 A public information campaign to promote the importance of responsible dog ownership and the need for training.
David Kell SC, who is helping the coroner, told the court that the baby's dad had a six-year-old dog he thought was an American Staffordshire terrier. He bought the dog as a puppy for $500 (£260) in June 2015 after it was advertised as one of a litter of seven of that breed.
The dog was microchipped and registered as an American Staffordshire terrier - but there were suggestions it might be part American pit bull. In June 2021, just five weeks before the baby was killed, the dog killed a co*cker spaniel on a neighbouring property.
Nobody witnessed the incident, but Dr Kell said a park ranger who came after the attack claimed the Saffy had pulled the co*cker spaniel through a hole in a fence and killed it in the garden. The ranger also thought the Staffy might have been a pit bull, or pit bull-cross, because of its yellow eyes, liver-coloured nose and white tips on its paws.
The parents, described as 'wonderful tenants' by their landlord, were not at home at the time as the mum had just given birth. The tan dog had never carried out such an attack before and usually slept in the family bedroom. The court was told by the council ranger that the mum's mother said the pet was “a people dog”. She said: “I took that to mean he wasn't very good with other dogs”.
Speculating that the Staffy might be part pit bull, its owner was given a notice to say it was a restricted dog. This means the dog had to be kept in a safe enclosure and wear a muzzle on a leash, chain or cord when it was outside that cage. The owner was given 28 days to show the animal was not a restricted breed, and a further two weeks to prove this after the birth of the boy.
On the day of the incident, the pair were watching football and listening to music in their home. The dad fell asleep on the sofa and the mum nodded off in a rocking chair while holding their baby. The dad woke up to find his partner crying, shouting: “The dog's got the baby”. He said: “She woke up and realised the baby wasn't there. She walked into the baby's room and found the baby on the floor.'
The mum urged the dad to: “Call the ambulance, call the ambulance”. Paramedics arrived but despite their efforts, could not bring the boy back, who was covered in bites. The dog was spotted in the garden with a bloody nose. It is thought that it grabbed the baby from the chair.
When asked if they'd ever had problems with the dog, the mum told police she had been worried since bringing her newborn son home from hospital. “I don't trust the dog around him,” she said.
The dog was put down after the attack. The boy's death was found to be chest trauma consistent with a dog attack. A death certificate for the dog said it was a pit bull - but that was changed the following day to an American Staffordshire terrier after getting information from the local council.
The ranger told the court she hadn't thought about taking the dog away after it killed the co*cker spaniel. “I wasn't dealing with irresponsible dog owners,” she said. The ranger also said she did not see much difference between American Staffordshire terriers and pit bulls in their propensity to attack, or the severity of the injuries they could inflict.
Dr Kell stressed the inquiry did not exist to attribute legal liability for any of the deaths - but to prevent similar tragedies from reoccurring. The inquest continues.
