A seven-month-old baby died after suffering catastrophic head injuries when she was attacked by her family’s Belgian Malinois dog , a coroner’s court has been told.
Elle Doherty was pronounced dead in hospital an hour after the incident on June 16, following a cardiac arrest and skull fractures.
The attack by the family’s pet dog, Zeus, lasted less than a second before the animal was immediately pulled away, an inquest at Coventry Coroner’s Court heard.
Elle’s parents did not attend the inquest, with Area Coroner Delroy Henry noting their absence was “wholly understandable”.
Elle Doherty was pronounced dead in hospital an hour after the incident on June 16
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CCTV footage from the family’s indoor security camera captured the incident, showing freeze-frame images of the parents’ immediate response to protect their daughter.
Detective Inspector Anthony Hibbert confirmed to the court that both parents “immediately reacted to this situation by removing Zeus from the equation” and taking hold of both the dog and Elle.
According to Detective Inspector Hibbert’s testimony, the attack appeared to occur when “baby Elle slightly leant on Zeus”.
The 31kg Belgian Malinois made what the coroner described as a “sudden and unanticipated” attack while Elle was on the floor near her parents.
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The sequence of events was captured by the family’s indoor security camera, with freeze-frame images showing the incident unfolded in “a second or less”.
The dog had been acquired from a breeder in Gloucestershire in October 2020, with Doherty stating in written evidence that Zeus was “good around people and other dogs”.
Following the incident, a dog-handler was called to the scene and used a sedation dart to remove Zeus from the garden.
The Belgian Malinois was subsequently taken to a veterinary practice where it was put down on the same day.
A stock image of a Belgian Malinois
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Concluding the inquest, Area Coroner Delroy Henry acknowledged the devastating impact of the incident.
“This is certainly a tragic incident – a family changed forever,” he stated.
Henry added: “I really don’t think there are any words that I could say to console the family of Elle save to reiterate that my heart goes out to Elle’s parents and family.”