Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
News
Original poster

Boy 10 mauled to death at holiday park

787 replies

Witchofzog · 13/04/2019 15:08

I can't link on this phone but it is on most news sites. The owner was found off site after a police hunt so possibly fled when she knew her dog had killed a child. It's just awful - a young boy probably just going to the loo in the middle of the night on a campsite having his life ended because of a dangerous dog and an owner who can't control and/ or keep it securely away

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Fishcakey · 13/04/2019 15:12

I've just read this. I feel sick. His poor parents. We go to places like this all the time with our dogs and DS. This is horrendous.

SavageBeauty73 · 13/04/2019 15:18

Awful!!!!! The poor family.

floribunda18 · 13/04/2019 15:23

It says he was found inside a caravan so presumably the dog owner was known to him.

Comefromaway · 13/04/2019 15:24

Horrendous.

Original poster
Witchofzog · 13/04/2019 15:24

I hadn't seen that @Floribunda. So the woman who fled knew the child who had died? That's shocking

OP posts:
MyBeloved · 13/04/2019 15:28

How awful Sad

Aragog · 13/04/2019 16:44

I wonder if it happened outside but family took him into the caravan after the incident, but he's died since moving inside.

One holiday maker did come across as being a little insensitive, asking to be moved to far side of campsite (fair enough) but complaining it didn't feel like a holiday camp anymore - hmm, wonder why?! I'm surprised camp site isn't totally closed really. Though guess it might be really big so people can be kept away.

Fishcakey · 13/04/2019 19:11

I hadn't read that either. God I don't know what's worse.

Comefromaway · 13/04/2019 19:29

The BBC are reporting that it is thought the boy had been staying in the same caravan as the dog a 28 year old woman has been arrested.

Poor lad. It’s heartbreaking.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 14/04/2019 08:19

He'd been staying in the same caravan as the dog, and it happened at 5am, so while this is a tragic incident I suspect this could have happened equally at home, and the fact it happened at a caravan park isn't a crucial factor.

It's inevitable that the dog will be put down, but I'd want the dog medically assessed by a vet first as it may affect the culpability of the owner and subsequent legal process. For instance, uncharacteristic aggression is often a sign of pain or an undiagnosed brain tumour.

bratzilla · 14/04/2019 14:36

Avocados That’s standard procedure to prosecute under the dangerous dogs act. There are 3 levels of culpability, a dog behaviourist and witness statements will help the courts determine how culpable she is and it will be reflected in her sentence.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 14/04/2019 17:12

He was alone with the dog in the caravan whilst the rest of his family/party were in the adjacent one. Very irresponsible, why don’t people learn.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 14/04/2019 17:12

Indeed @bratzilla but a previously undiagnosed medical condition, such as a brain tumour, that suddenly and unexpectedly rendered a good natured dog aggressive would, I think, reduce the culpability to near zero. It would be similar to a sudden and catastrophic mechanical failure on a well maintained car that caused a fatal crash. Of course, if there was no medical cause it would mean that it could not be used in mitigation. Any good behaviourist works exclusively by vet referral, as medical causes of behaviour need to be ruled out first.

Of course, we cannot know what happened at this stage - and it may never become fully clear. If, for instance, the boy gave the dog a firm kick and the dog attacked as a result, there would likely be no real evidence.

It could also be the case that the dog has a long history of dodgy behaviour and shouldn't have been in the same caravan as the child.

Nixen · 14/04/2019 17:49

He was left alone in the caravan with the dog at 5am when the attack happened, where was his mum? In the other caravan.. why?

The owner of the dog is an ‘acquaintance’ of the mum and left the scene afterwards with the dog and was arrested 3 hours afterwards on a train miles away.. with a dog that had just killed someone.

The whole thing sounds like neglect to me. That poor wee boy had no chance with those people, who were supposed to be looking after him.

YouBumder · 14/04/2019 17:52

The second horrible case in a few days of a horrific attack when a child is left alone with a dog. When will people learn :(

Theyellowsquare · 14/04/2019 17:57

Do we know what breed? Some media said a 'bulldog'. Not an English bulldog surely because they aren't very big compared with a ten year old.

WhoWants2Know · 14/04/2019 18:23

The teenager who assisted the dog's owner described the dog as a large boxer/mastiff looking dog.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 14/04/2019 18:29

The BBC are reporting that they're trying to establish the exact breed, so I imagine they're trying to work out if it's a pit bull type dog or not, and they meant to say bull breed rather than bulldog. Mind you, a dog can be deemed to be pit bull type even if it hasn't a drop of pit bull blood in it, as it's based on a tape measure.

It seems very odd to leave a 10yo sleeping in a caravan alone, dog or no dog.

bratzilla · 14/04/2019 19:30

Avocado If that is the case she will fall under “lesser culpability” but it has to be low, medium or high, there’s no such thing as nearly zero. I’m not blaming the woman, just talking from a legal POV. I’m certain she will go to prison.

Cheby · 14/04/2019 20:12

I can’t get past the idea that they left a 10yo asleep on his own at 5am with no adults. It’s very odd, presumably neglect? 1/2am I could just about understand (but would never do myself), maybe they were up drinking and just next door, it had gone on a little late and they didn’t want to disturb the child. But 5am, either they were awake all night, which is bizarre because presumably the child would normally be awake by 7/8am and need looking after? Or they were actually sleeping in the next caravan and had left him completely alone with a dangerous dog.

Bookworm4 · 14/04/2019 20:15

Sounds like he was neglected, on his own at 5am, adults in another caravan, was he left all night whilst they were drinking? The breed is irrelevant, the boy and the dog have been failed by humans.

LittleMissHappy19 · 14/04/2019 20:28

Supposedly the owner was a friend of the parents, leaving the poor little 9 year old boy with the dog in their caravan, while the parents were in the friends (dog owner) caravan..

I'm sorry, this is obviously horrific. utterly tragic. But the parents should NEVER of allowed the dog to be left in the same caravan as their son. Alone.

Rumbletum2 · 14/04/2019 22:46

I wonder if it was something like they left the dog with him because they thought he’d be safer than on his own - that the dog would guard him/the caravan.

Rumbletum2 · 14/04/2019 22:47

If the woman really did try to do a bunk with the dog she deserves a lengthy prison sentence.

Bookworm4 · 15/04/2019 06:34

@rumbletum
The owner probably panicked, terrified by what had happened; are the parents to just get sympathy and not be held responsible for neglecting their child? A 9 yr old on his own at 5am, were they in the other van all night?
Nobody knows what happened; if the dog was provoked, frightened, at least if an adult was there it's more than likely it could have been prevented.

Swipe left for the next trending thread