by Oge Okonkwo

An 11-month old girl Ava-Jayne Corless was attacked by a pit bull on the bed while at her step father’s house.

Police say every attempt by paramedics revive her was futile as she was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The victims mother and step father who were downstairs at the time of the incident have been arrested for manslaughter.

Daily Mail reports:

The exact breed of the pet – which has now been destroyed – is not known, but police believe that it was ‘an American pit bull type’.

Ava-Jayne’s father Dean Corless today revealed his grief at hearing of the attack, saying: ‘I am absolutely devastated after what has happened. I found out late last night and rushed to the hospital to see her straight away.’

The 24-year-old added: ‘She was the most beautiful and adorable little girl, she was just the best. She was my whole world.

‘I will miss her every single day, I just don’t know what to do now. It is just so tragic. I have my family around me now, but we are all devastated.’

 

Beautiful: Friends and relatives described Ava-Jayne as an ‘angel’ as they expressed their grief

Asleep: The youngster pictured in a professional photoshoot later uploaded to the internet

Baby: Ava-Jayne with her mother Chloe – who has now been arrested – and grandmother Clair

Grandmother Bernadette Corless added: ‘She was so young, it is so unfair for a baby to be taken away at that age.

‘She was just beautiful – like a china doll. She was a lively baby and was always happy.’

 Mr Corless said that he dated Ava-Jayne’s mother, Chloe King, for four years before the pair split up last summer.

Ms King, 20, and her new boyfriend Lee Wright, 26, were arrested in the wake of the girl’s death and questioned on suspicion of child neglect, before being re-arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

A post-mortem will take place to find out the exact cause of death. 

 

Arrest: The victim’s stepfather Lee Wright is being questioned by police on suspicion of manslaughter

 

Family: Dean Corless, right, paid tribute to his daughter after her mother, left, was arrested along with her new boyfriend Lee Wright

Chief Superintendent Chris Bithell said: ‘This is an absolutely horrific incident in which a baby girl has lost her life and I would like to take this opportunity to express my own personal sympathy to the wider family of baby Ava.

Recounting the details of the attack, he added: ‘The baby was upstairs in a bed in one of the front bedrooms and the two people who are currently in custody, they were downstairs when the attack took place.

‘The dog is believed to be an American pit bull type, it has been destroyed and tests will be carried out today to establish the exact breed of the dog and inquiries into the history of the animal.’

Police are investigating claims that neighbours have previously complained about dangerous dogs living at the house.

Local residents reported seeing police struggle to enter the house on Emily Street as the cross-breed dog raged out of control.

A specialist team later managed to detain the animal and took it away as part of the investigation before destroying it.

 

‘Beautiful and adorable’: Mr Corless described his devastation at learning of his daughter’s death

Touching: Mr Corless spoke of his grief at the death of his daughter, pictured with him as a newborn  

Holiday: Ava-Jayne with her mother playing on the beach in a family photo uploaded to Facebook

The dog, described by neighbours as ‘vicious and terrifying’, apparently attacked and killed a cat in the area last year, prompting questions as to why it was not brought under control earlier.

‘That dog is a menace, it was a nightmare for neighbours and people were terrified of approaching it in the street,’ said next-door neighbour Brian Harrison.

‘Such a small girl against the dog is an unfair battle. It’s an absolute tragedy that should never have happened – there’s been plenty of warning signs in the past.

‘Only last year it mauled to death a neighbour’s cat and nothing was done about it.’

The RSPCA confirmed that it had been called to the house after the death of a cat, although it concluded that the incident was nothing more than an accident.

Mr Harrison added: ‘I’m surprised that such a tiny baby has been allowed around it, I’m sure there’s days when it’s OK but it only takes one thing to trigger it.

 

Tragic: A child has died after being mauled by a pet dog at a house in Emily Street in Blackburn, pictured

Investigation: Police cordoned off the street after arresting the victim’s mother and stepfather

 

‘Horrific’: Chief Inspector Chris Bithell briefs the media on the progress of the investigation

Friends of the family took to Facebook to express their grief at the little girl’s death.

Catt Allen wrote: ‘RIP Ava-Jayne, heaven has gained another angel sleep tight beautiful girl xxxx’.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: ‘The baby was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital but sadly passed away a short time later.

‘Officers are continuing to carry out enquiries at the scene and investigate the circumstances of what has happened.’

Detective Superintendent Simon Giles added: ‘This is a tragic incident and specially trained officers are offering support to the wider family. A full investigation is underway.’

Danger: The dog was described as a ‘menace’ before the attack and previously killed a neighbour’s cat

Attack: The incident took place in a residential area to the north-east of the town centre

Local MP Jack Straw delivered a passionate appeal to drive out the scourge of dangerous dogs which have been responsible for a string of brutal attacks on children.

‘This is the most awful killing, of an innocent 11-month-old baby, by an out-of-control and self-evidently dangerous dog,’ the former Home Secretary told the Lancashire Telegraph.

‘What will it take to convince people not to keep dogs like this – and to get across to all dog-owners, of every breed of dog, that no dog should ever be left unsupervised with a baby?’

In the wake of Ava-Jayne’s death, the union that represents postal workers called for a major crackdown on dangerous dogs in order to prevent similar incidents in future.

‘This is another tragic loss of life and demonstrates the out-of-control situation that we have in the UK with irresponsible dog ownership,’ a spokesman for the CWU said.

‘There have been 23 deaths from dog attacks in the UK, the majority of which have been young children, and four of these have occurred since 2005. Worryingly, there has been a sharp increase in recent years.

‘Dog control laws in England and Wales are rightly being strengthened later this year. Current arrangements are simply not good enough and the punishments do not fit the crimes.’