Boy, 9, dies after 'mauling' by dog, inquest hears

A nine-year-old boy was mauled to death by a family friend’s dog after being left alone in a caravan with the animal, an inquest heard.

Frankie MacRitchie, from Plymouth, received fatal head injuries after being attacked by the 45kg American bulldog cross Staffordshire bull terrier in April 2019.

Frankie had been staying in the caravan at Tencreek Holiday Park in Looe, Cornwall with his mother, Tawnee Willis, and her friend Sadie Totterdell.

Cornwall Coroner’s Court heard Ms Totterdell had rented the caravan from April 7 for a holiday and was joined by Frankie and his mother on April 11.

The following day Ms Totterdell brought the dog, called Winston, to the caravan and that evening they all went out to the park’s social club before returning about midnight.

Ms Willis and Ms Totterdell joined friends in a neighbouring caravan where they continued drinking, leaving Frankie alone with Winston.

Friend Cheryl Crocker said Ms Willis left the caravan a couple of times to check on Frankie and the first she became aware of the incident was when she heard screaming.

“Tawnee came running in screaming. Tawnee kept screaming and screaming and she needed to find Frankie’s nan,” she said.

Frankie with his mother Tawnee
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Her partner Jordan Pearce added: “We were all sat in our caravan when Tawnee went out to check and I could hear something, so I turned the music down and didn’t hear anything.

“We put the music back on and heard a scream and she literally ran in through the door and that’s when we knew.”

Mr Pearce said that after the attack, Ms Totterdell fled the caravan park, taking Winston with her.

“I remember Sadie coming towards our caravan and saying, ‘What do I do? I’m going to take him and kill him’,” he said.

“She tried getting the dog into our caravan and I remember kicking the dog out and saying the dog’s not coming in here, and that’s when she just disappeared, and no one knew where she went.”

The court heard the emergency services were alerted shortly before 5am on April 13, after Ms Willis returned to the caravan and discovered Frankie lying on the kitchen floor covered in blood.

Emergency first responders and paramedics arrived and attempted resuscitation, but Frankie was declared dead at 5.35am.

Dr Deborah Cook, a Home Office registered forensic pathologist, said Frankie had died from blood loss caused by multiple dog bites.

“The wounds have the characteristics of dog bites in a mauling type of attack,” she said.

“The concentration of the injuries over the head and the neck is in keeping with the recognised behaviour of dogs in attack.”

Frankie had appeared to have suffered defensive bite wounds, so may well have attempted to fight off the attack, Dr Cook said.

Frankie had been born with a congenital heart condition and was prescribed warfarin for thinning his blood, but this was not a factor in his death.

“The injuries are so devastating and so extensive anyone, a child or adult, would have died from the blood loss,” Dr Cook added.

“Even if it occurred outside the front door of a large hospital, I doubt Frankie could have survived.”

The court heard Ms Willis and Ms Totterdell were later prosecuted and jailed.

The inquest continues.