A three-month-old baby girl has died following a suspected dog attack at a home on Hardale Grove in Dormanstown, Redcar, according to Cleveland Police.
Officers were called to the address shortly after 13:30 BST on Thursday after reports of concern for a child. The infant was found with injuries consistent with a dog bite and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said armed officers destroyed one dog at the scene on the street, while a second dog was recovered from the property and later destroyed. Both animals were assessed by specialist officers and were not believed to be a prohibited breed.
This comes amid ongoing concerns around dangerous dog incidents in residential settings, with police confirming the investigation into the circumstances of the attack remains ongoing.
A 31-year-old woman was also injured in the incident, suffering a bite to her arm. She was taken to hospital for treatment.
A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death. Cleveland Police said he has since been released on conditional bail.
Chief Superintendent Rachel Stockdale said the force’s thoughts remain with the child’s family and asked for their privacy to be respected during what she described as a “tragic and distressing incident”.
Police have appealed for anyone with information or relevant footage to come forward as enquiries continue.