Poignant tributes left for four-month old baby savaged to death by Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog
FLOWERS mark the scene yesterday where a four-month-old boy was mauled to death by a dog at his aunt’s home.
Archie Joe Darby was attacked by the Staffordshire bull terrier-type pet on Thursday.
Brother Daniel-Jay, one, had life-threatening injuries.
Mum Jade Rogers, 27, and the boys’ father paid a heartbreaking tribute as well-wishers laid flowers in Colchester, Essex.
The pair wrote: “Heaven has gained a beautiful little angel.”
Archie Joe and Daniel-Jay Darby were staying with their aunt and uncle when the Staffordshire bull terrier-type beast pounced.
They had recently moved in to their aunt and uncle's home with their mum, Jade.
It has been suggested the pet may have attacked the young children in an effort to establish territory after they moved into the home.
Four-month-old Archie Joe was mauled and one-year-old Daniel-Jay suffered “life-changing” injuries and was in hospital.
Their mum Jade Rogers, 24, was also treated for wounds sustained as she tried to save her sons.
Unconfirmed reports suggested she was in the bath when the attack took place in Colchester, Essex.
In a statement on Friday, the boys’ parents said of their “loveable” sons: “It doesn’t seem real that our little Archie Bum has gone to heaven and our little Daniel is in intensive care because of a tragic, tragic incident.
“We have lost our gorgeous little four-month-old baby and our beautiful 22-month-old boy is being treated for his injuries.
“Heaven has gained a beautiful little angel and he will be greatly missed by us all. Our other little soldier is still fighting strong.”
Police confirmed the dog had been removed from the property and was destroyed on Friday with the owners’ permission.
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Neighbour Dave Thompson said: "It was alive and not aggressive when they brought it out of the house and put it into the back of the van.
“It was quite big and I think it was a crossbreed.”
Another near neighbour reported seeing the couple walking a type of Staffordshire bull terrier.
He said: “It was some sort of Staffy, pitbull cross.”
The tragedy happened just a week after Jade and her boys had moved for a “better life”
Friends said Jade and the boys moved in with her policewoman sister Clare Ferdinand, 31, and husband John Ferdinand, 36, a week ago.
Their whole family had planned to relocate in Colchester
Emergency services were called to the shared semi on Thursday afternoon following reports of an out-of-control dog.
Six police cars, a dog unit vehicle and two ambulances are understood to have rushed to the scene. An air ambulance was also scrambled.
The boys were taken to hospital, where Archie was declared dead.
Locals described the devastating scene as the mum and her boys were brought out of the house.
One said: “The woman was absolutely distraught, she had to be held up by two people on either side.”
Friends said the dog was familiar with the children.
But they feared it had become “territorial” after the tots were moved into the home.
It is not known whether IT boss Mr Ferdinand and his PC wife were at home when the dog attacked.
He said on Friday: “There's no chance of us commenting at the moment.”
Neighbours reported that they had heard terrifying shrieks.
One witness said: “I was walking past and I saw a young boy sat up in the ambulance. His face was covered in blood — it was shocking to see. He was in a bad way, the little lad.”
One pal said: “Jade has moved in with her sister until she could get her own place. She wanted a better life for them.
"It looks like the dog couldn’t cope with having the little ones around all of the time.
"Apparently it just snapped and went for them. It’s devastating.”
The pal added: “John and Clare had moved out to Colchester and loved it.
“I think the plan was for the girls' parents to sell their house and move so they could be mortgage free.
“Jade had moved earlier to start making some progress on getting her own house.
"She loved those boys, more than anything. The whole family is broken by what’s happened.”
Staffies involved in a string of brutal attacks
STAFFORDSHIRE bull terriers are descended from a cross between the bulldog and a terrier and can grow up to three stone.
The breed was historically used for fighting and has been linked to a string of attacks on adults and children.
In May, a Staffie attacked 12 children in a park in Blyth, Northumberland. Nine needed hospital treatment.
Dad Gordon Gotham, 47, was bitten on the testicles trying to protect his son, two, and daughter, 14, from a Staffie attack in Liverpool in August.
And in February, a Staffie turned on a man in Sheffield while he had an epileptic fit. The attack left him fighting for his life.
The breed is not on the Government’s list of banned dogs.
One woman, who stopped to lay flowers at the scene, said: “I didn’t know the family but when I heard what had happened, I just felt I had to come down and pay my respects."
Police forensics teams completed their work and left the scene on Friday.
Officers would not confirm whether a criminal investigation was under way.
A spokesman said "nothing is being ruled out”.
The mauling comes two months after Dexter Neal, three, was killed by an American pitbull type dog while playing at a friend's 14 miles from Colchester in Halstead, Essex.