A 10-year-old girl in the United Kingdom has died after being mauled by her family’s dog.
According to a news release from North Yorkshire Police in England, the youngster was at her house in Malton around 4:15 p.m. local time on Friday, Nov. 1, when Yorkshire Ambulance Service came to allegations of a dog attack.
According to authorities, one of the girl’s family members “secured” the dog inside a car following the attack, and cops apprehended the animal upon arrival. The dog was then sent to a “secure kennel.”
According to North Yorkshire Police, “despite the efforts of medical professionals and a member of the public who came to the family’s aid, tragically, the girl died at the scene after suffering serious injuries.”
Although authorities stated on Sunday that the dog will be “destroyed” following the girl’s death, the mystery of why the animal bit her remains. “All indications so far suggest it was out-of-character, with the girl and dog having a close, loving relationship,” according to the press release.
“One of the lines of enquiry relates to the behaviour of the dog to help explain, as far as possible, why it attacked the girl,” said the authorities.
The girl has not been publicly identified, but coroners are scheduled to conduct an autopsy on Sunday, November 3, police said. The breed of the dog has not been revealed.
“We urge people not to speculate about the incident and to respect the family’s wish for privacy to grieve in peace,” according to the press release. “Our officers are continuing to support the family while enquiries continue.”