Horrified neighbours have paid tribute to a four-year-old girl who was mauled to death by a dog at her home in Milton Keynes.
Little Alice Stones was savaged by the animal in her back garden in Broadlands, Netherfield last night.
Armed police raided the home, where it is believed they cornered the dog and destroyed it. Thames Valley Police has said no arrests have been made as they investigate the attack.
Locals left flowers outside the house this morning, while others described Alice’s mother’s ‘desperate screams’ as her child was killed by the animal, which neighbours claimed the family bought about six weeks ago.
‘I heard “She’s dead! She’s dead!”‘ a neighbour claimed. ‘They’ll stay with me forever. It was a nightmare. I’m heartbroken. They will haunt me.’
Police say no one else was hurt and the girl’s family is being supported by specially trained officers. Officers remain on scene today as their investigation into the incident continues.
Alice Stones, 4, was pronounced dead at the scene after having been seriously injured in the attack in the back garden of her home in Broadlands, Netherfield
An aerial view of the back garden where Alice Stones was killed by her family’s dog last night
Police are at a home in Broadlands, Netherfield, Milton Keynes today after a four-year-old girl died yesterday following reports of a dog attack in the back garden of the property
‘At first I thought the noise was from someone’s telly but it just went on and on, like a high-pitched squeal,’ a neighbour said today, recalling the screams coming from the property at the time of the attack.
‘I opened my window and could just hear screaming and sobbing. I didn’t know what was going on.
‘My friend who lives nearer the house says she heard a woman shouting “my baby, she’s dead, she’s dead” over and over. It’s just awful.’
Officers and paramedics responded to the home in Broadlands, Netherfield just past 5pm yesterday after receiving reports that a dog had attacked a child in the back garden of a property.
Armed officers swooped on the property ‘very quickly’ and ordered neighbours to stay indoors before the hound was shot dead by a police marksman.
Police claim the dog was ‘humanely destroyed’.
No arrests have been made in connection with the investigation.
Alice is seen playing in the garden where she was ultimately killed in footage shared to social media last August
Community members are laying flowers at a makeshift memorial outside a home in Milton Keynes this morning in remembrance of a four-year-old girl who was mauled to death by a dog
Officers are pictured at the home this morning, which appears to still be cordoned off
Officers and paramedics responded to a home in Broadlands, Netherfield just past 5pm yesterday after receiving reports that a dog had attacked a child in the back garden of a property
Community members said police but the neighbourhood ‘basically on lockdown’ as they responded to the scene.
A neighbour whose children go to school with Alice told The Sun that residents were instructed by police to stay inside in case the dog were to escape.
An officer reportedly said: ‘If this dog gets out, somebody is going to get hurt.’
The neighbour described the animal as a ‘big brown dog’ that the family seemingly got as a pet a few weeks back. The resident said they have ‘only seen it at the house.’
The family’s next door neighbour said he tried to go look at his back garden but was ordered to go back inside.
About an hour later, armed officers reportedly knocked on his door requesting to come into his home so they could look at the lay out of the property to ‘get an idea of what next door would look like.’
Shortly afterwards, police reportedly advised him that it was ‘best if I leave the house.’
A female resident added: ‘I had no idea what was going on but there were a dozen police cars and three ambulances with their blue lights on.
‘I heard a policeman shouting in the street “stay inside, do not come out”. A friend of mine said another officer warned them to expect a gunshot.
‘It was absolutely terrifying and I locked my front and back doors just in case. At that stage I didn’t know they were after a dog.’
Neighbours were ordered to stay indoors as police cornered the animal before ‘humanely’ destroying it. Pictured: Thames Valley Police on the scene of the attack
Residents were instructed by police to stay inside in case the dog were to escape. Pictured: Police at the the crime scene last night
Forensic tents and police vehicles are pictured at the scene in Milton Keynes last night
‘This is an absolutely tragic incident in which we believe that a child has been killed after being attacked by a dog, ‘ Thames Valley Police Superintendent Matt Bullivant said last night.
‘Clearly we are in the very early stages of an investigation, and it would be wrong and unhelpful to speculate as to the exact circumstances of this incident at this point.
‘However, in order to ensure public safety, a decision was made earlier this evening to destroy the dog involved, and this has been done humanely.
‘I understand how much of an impact this will have on the community and on the wider public, and people can expect to see a large police presence in the area this evening and beyond while our investigation continues.
The child was pronounced dead at the scene after having been seriously injured in the attack. Her official cause of death has not been disclosed. Police are pictured at the scene yesterday
A bouquet of flowers was left near the crime scene last night in remembrance of the four-year-old girl who was killed by the dog
Mr Bullivant continued: ‘I would like to reassure people that there is no reason to believe there is any danger to the wider public at this time.
‘Anyone with concerns should feel free to approach our officers and ask questions, but I urge people not to speculate about the circumstances, especially on social media platforms.
‘I also understand that this case is likely to attract attention from the media. With this in mind I would like to ask that the privacy of the family involved is respected at this very difficult time. It is impossible to imagine what they must be going through at the moment.’
The force urged anyone with information about the incident to call 101 quoting reference number 20230131-1546 or to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Reports can also be made online.
