The family of a little girl who lost her life in a devastating dog attack has paid a tribute to the little angel.
17-month-old Bella-Rae Birch from Blackbrook, England, was mauled to death by a rescue dog whom her parents adopted just weeks ago.
According to the reports, emergency services were called to the family’s home on Bidston Avenue last Monday afternoon after reports of a family pet attacking a toddler.
Unfortunately, Bella suffered severe injuries and died as a result of the dog mauling later at the hospital.
As Merseyside Police have since confirmed, the dog, who was said to be a Pitbull Terrier or a Staffordshire Bull Terrier according to the locals, was put down.
Since the tragic incident, the heartbroken family of the baby girl has also spoken out to pay a tribute to the little angel and thank their community for support.
“As a family we would like to thank the community for their support. We would ask that we are now allowed some space and time to try and come to terms with the tragic loss of our much-loved Bella-Rae. She will be sadly missed but never forgotten,” they expressed.
Speaking out about the horrifying incident were also the family’s neighbors who recalled the child’s mother “crying hysterically” outside their family home following the attack.
“You see it on the news, but when it happens on your doorstep it’s devastating for the whole community,” one neighbor said.
“It’s just heartbreaking. The brother of the little girl is in my boy’s class at school. My dad ran over and tried to perform CPR, he’s really devastated. He’s still in shock and won’t speak.”
Another added: “The mum was on the field at the front of the house crying. She was hysterical.
“It is usually very quiet here and safe for children, but when you hear something like this has happened it is so distressing. It was heartbreaking to see her crying. She was inconsolable. I don’t want to imagine what she is going through.”
Meanwhile, one witness opened up to MailOnline about the nature of the family. “It’s awful. I went over to help. I don’t want to go into what happened but all I will say is that they were doting family. They doted on that little girl. They were always out together,” they said.
Our thoughts are with Bella-Rae’s family during these challenging times.
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