Mother of four arrested after neighbour’s boy, 3, savaged to death by a dog during play date at her house
A MOTHER of four has been arrested after her dog mauled a three-year-old to death while the little boy visited her house for a play date.
Jade Dunne, 29, was questioned by police after the fatal attack which saw young Dexter Neal savaged to death by an American pitbull at the Essex home.
It has since been revealed the little boy was at the property in Parker Way, Halstead, just around the corner from his Ronald Road home, for a play date when he was savagely attacked.
Jade Dunne, who was arrested for allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control injuring a person, has now been released on police bail.
Police said the 29-year-old would remain on bail pending further enquiries until October 19.
Family have now written tributes to the little boy with Ashley Coe describing the three-year-old as his ";darling nephew".
He wrote: "I can't even begin to describe what state we are all in this is an absolutely devastating loss for my sister and her husband and there's nothing I can say to them".
It is understood the garden where the devastating attack occurred backed onto the little boy's home, where he lived with mother Pamela, Andrew and his eight-year-old sister.
Another family friend simply wrote "We love you so much Dexter".
The little boy had been rushed to hospital after the horrific attack but tragically died of his injuries.
Neighbours have told of their horror at hearing "agonising" screams at the scene.
Posting on Facebook, Jennifer Ralling said she heard the screams and ran to the scene with a man named Mark.
She added: "I'm devastated. I've known the family for years through the nursery. I remember when he was born.
"I thought we'd be able to help as we're both first aid trained but it was just so awful."
Meanwhile, a man who lives close by, said he saw Dexter's mother run to a local shop following the attack to pick up a defibrillator - a machine that delivers an electric current to heart.
The man, who didn't wish to be named, said: "My kids were playing out the front of the house.
"The boy's mum came running screaming and shouting 'my boy's not breathing. I need the machine'.
"She got it and ran back with two people following her.
"Later on the air ambulance landed on the field at the back. Every one came out to see what was going on.
"Two paramedics came through with the child. They screamed for everyone to get out of the way.
"They were doing CPR as they were moving him. Sadly it was too late.
"They covered him with a blanket. It wasn't a sight I wanted to see any way."
An Essex Police spokesman said: "Family liaison officers have been deployed to support the family and we strongly request that their privacy is respected at this difficult time."
Police officers and paramedics attended the scene where the white dog had attacked the child.
Neighbours described seeing a woman coming out of the house carrying a "bloody child" in her arms moments after the animal was dragged from the property with "its face covered in blood".
Cops confirmed the dog to be an American Bulldog - which is not currently on the British government's banned breeds list.
Witnesses claim the little boy was seen covered in blood moments after the horrifying attack.
Screams could be heard coming from inside the property which lies on a quiet residential street in the market town.
The dog has been seized by police and placed in kennels following the attack.
Scott Howell, 19, who called the police after realising what had happened, said: "They have only had the dog about a week because we heard it barking.
"It was a very big dog with short white fur. It looked like a pitbull.
"I heard this terrible screaming and thought it was kids playing in the garden, but then I thought this is going on a bit too long.
"I went to my parents' bedroom window facing the house and that is when I saw the man dragging the dog out. Its face was covered in blood.
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"That is when I thought I need to call the police. As I was describing what was happening to the police I saw a woman come out of the house and she was holding a very bloody child in her arms.
"She quickly went back in the house. I could hear the man counting 'one two three four' like they were doing CPR.
"The whole while the woman was crying her eyes out sitting in front of the house.
"The dog was taken away and put into a police van.
"I then heard the air ambulance come and that's when I left to go shopping around 6.30pm."
Police forensics teams have descended on the semi-detached former council house and are focusing on a wooden outhouse which is splattered with blood.
Children's shoes were seen littered across the garden and an eight-year-old silver Vauxhall Vectra was parked on the drive.
Neighbours further described their horror at the scene after spotting the blood-soaked animal sitting calmly outside the home just moments after the attack.
It had blood around its mouth and paws.
Neighbour Phyllis Younger, 82, said she will forever be haunted by what she heard.
“To be honest I’m glad I didn’t see anything, I don’t think I would have been able to cope with that.
“The screaming went on for a good five minutes. It did seem to go on a bit and then suddenly it stopped.
“It’s all very sad and makes you feel horrible. In the middle of night it is all I could think about, as the trouble is now I know what that scream is, it has haunted me.
“I have seen a man walking a dog with a young child on his shoulders but I don’t know anything about him."
Mother-of-five Lisa Smith, 43, who lives in Parker Way, said the family who lived at the address behind the police cordon "kept themselves to themselves" and had not lived in the street as long as her other neighbours.
"They're very private people to be fair," she said. "It's just terrible. I just feel so sorry for them."
Shirley Diver, the mayor of Halstead, described the fatal dog attack as "heart-breaking".
She said: "It's dreadful news, it really is. I've had dogs all my life and I don't think you can ever trust a dog 100 per cent with any child.
"It's so sad. I feel so sad for the family who are involved. Words can't express how it affects anybody. The whole town is in shock."
Halstead's MP James Cleverly said: "It's a small town with a very strong sense of community and this will be a massive shock. It will be a body blow to the town.
"There's a huge sense of civic pride and when news like this happens in your local area it's a real shock."
Another elderly neighbour said: “I don’t really know anything about the people who live there, but is terrible. They have only lived here six months.
“I didn’t know they had any dogs I thought they were just dog-sitting, as you didn’t see it all the time.
“I saw they had a white boxer, but it seemed fine.
“Even after the event it seemed fine - a chap sat there with it on the lead and it was calm as anything.
“A chap had the dog on a lead I knew it had attacked someone.
“It had blood round its mouth and on the side of its head and on its paws.
“I didn’t know what had happened until the police came round."
Another neighbour, who didn't wish to be named, said: "My first knowledge of it was seeing the air ambulance trying to land then when I went to the kitchen a short while after, they were running up Parker Way.
"I didn't see much other than the paramedics trying to resuscitate him. It is all so very tragic and sad for all concerned.
"I could see the paramedics resuscitating him in the front garden of the property but they were behind a blanket screen.
"It was then I realised it was a more serious incident."
An ambulance service spokesman said: "The service received a call on Thursday at 5.40pm to reports of an incident in Halstead.
"Two rapid response vehicles, two ambulance officers, an ambulance crew and the EHAAT were sent. At the scene a young child was treated for life-threatening injuries before being air lifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital.
"Sadly despite the best efforts of everyone involved, the child died and our thoughts are with the family involved at this time."
Next door neighbour Andrew Bowles, 56, said he remembered the tragic tot playing on a trampoline with his elder sister.
He believes Dexter Neal was playing at his friend's house when he was killed.
The grandfather said: "He seemed like a lovely young lad.
";I used to see him playing with his sister in the garden with the trampoline.
"He just seemed to be a normal happy three-year-old.
"They just got back from a family holiday last Saturday, maybe if they had gone this week it'd all be different.
"This loss is going to be hard for the family."
His shock was echoed by neighbour Harriet Taylor.
She said: "It's sad really my daughter is five, it is heartbreaking. It is horrible."
The young boy's death comes just days after a 52-year-old man was attacked and killed by a dog which had been returned to its owner despite concerns that it was dangerous.
David Ellam was out walking with his Yorkshire terrier close to his home in Huddersfield on Monday when he was attacked by another dog. He later died in hospital.
Bill Lambert from the Kennel Club, said: “The Kennel Club is extremely saddened by the tragic death of the young boy, and our thoughts and deepest condolences go to his family.
“Whilst we do not know the circumstances regarding the incident our advice to dog owners is to always ensure that children and dogs are supervised when together and that dogs are kept under proper control at all times.
“We would stress that the breed of dog is largely irrelevant and that far more important is the way that any dog is reared, socialised and trained.
“Any dog breed can be a wonderful pet or potentially dangerous in the wrong hands, which is why it is critical to have the correct training and socialisation.
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