4-year-old Alice Stones was killed by new family dog in garden attack
The dog which mauled tragic four-year-old Alice Stones to death last night was a family pet, police have said.
The animal was put down by armed police on Tuesday evening after officers were called to a house in Broadlands, Netherfield, Milton Keynes, by the ambulance service.
Thames Valley Police said no arrests have been made and that investigators are working to establish the breed of the dog. However, neighbors claimed that the dog was an American bulldog.
The end-of-terrace home remained taped off on Wednesday, with a forensic tent by the back garden and a uniformed officer and marked police van at the front of the property.
Giving an update, Superintendent Marc Tarbit said: ‘The child’s family are being supported by specially trained officers and we’d ask that their privacy is respected. An investigation is currently under way to fully understand the circumstances but we currently believe that this was a tragic, isolated incident and there is no threat to the wider community.
‘Accordingly, no arrests have been made at this time. I can confirm that the dog was a family pet and was put down by police on the scene yesterday evening.’
Mr Tarbit, local policing area commander for Milton Keynes, said the incident in a back garden – in which no-one else was hurt – had ‘shocked and upset people’ as he urged residents to speak to officers with any questions or concerns.
He also asked the public not to speculate about what had happened and called for the girl’s family’s privacy to be respected.
Alice’s heartbroken family are paying tribute to the young child.