Newborn baby boy dies in hospital a month after being attacked by his parents’ two Staffordshire Bull Terrier dogs called Fizzy and Dotty
- Reuben McNulty, who was two months old, was in critical condition for a month
- Police reveal that he died in hospital yesterday following November dog attack
- Dogs Fizzy and Dotty owned by boy’s parents Dan McNulty and Amy Litchfield
- The Staffordshire Bull Terrier have been destroyed, Cambridgeshire Police say
- Little boy’s grandfather had said the attack at hime was a ‘big freak accident’
A newborn baby mauled by his parents’ two Staffordshire Bull Terriers has died in hospital almost a month after the attack, it was revealed today.
Reuben McNulty was just one month old when he was attacked in the early hours of Sunday November 18 in Peterborough and has died almost four weeks later.
Cambridgeshire Police today announced the newborn perished yesterday as a result of his injuries inflicted by the dogs, Fizzy and Dotty.
The Staffordshire Bull Terriers, owned by his parents Dan McNulty and Amy Litchfield, have since been put down.
Two people, aged 28 and 31, have been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and released on bail, according to police, and the suspects are believed to be McNulty and Litchfield.
Little Reuben McNulty (pictured) died in hospital yesterday after a dog attack at his home last month
Reuben’s parents Amy Litchfield and Dan McNulty are believed to have been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and released on bail
One or both of the couple’s dogs Fizzy and Dotty attacked the baby, who was around a month old at the time
The incident happened in a cul-de-sac in the village of Yaxley, near Peterborough in Cambridgeshire.
The youngster was born four weeks premature early earlier in November. He is pictured with his mother
Miss Litchfield’s father, Peter insisted at the time it was a ‘freak accident’.
He said: ‘Everyone’s making a big thing of it. They’ve done nothing wrong and the way it’s being portrayed at the minute they’re horrible parents.
‘The bloody aren’t. They’ve been fantastic. If they were horrible parents they wouldn’t be sitting with that young lad now.’
But angry locals said they had warned about the risks of allowing the dogs – Fizzy and Dotty – near a newborn and described the pets as ‘vicious’.
One neighbour, who lives opposite the flat, said: ‘He (Dan) was showing people his new baby because he was so proud of it.
‘When he showed me the pictures I said ‘Be careful, because those dogs might not be used to the baby’.
‘I know what dogs are like when they get jealous. He said ‘I will do. Me and Amy were thinking about that anyway’.’
Another neighbour added: ‘I have seen those dogs before and they are vicious and will show their teeth at anyone’.
The couple had been celebrating the birth of their son, before the horrific attack
The boy’s grandfather said the dogs have ‘never been dangerous, they’ve been docile dogs’ – but neighbours said they were ‘vicious’
The incident unfolded at the family’s home in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, pictured, where one neighbour claimed they warned the parents about having the bogs around the baby. They have now been destroyed
The man said he was woken by the sound of police sirens and saw the couple being led out of their home in handcuffs.
Cambridgeshire Police confirmed they were called at 1.47am on Sunday November 18.
A spokesman for the force said at the time: ‘The baby was taken to Peterborough City Hospital before being transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with life-threatening injuries.
‘A 28-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, both from Yaxley, were arrested on suspicion of child neglect and have been bailed until December 15.
‘Two dogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, were taken from the property and are in police kennels. Police remain at the scene and an investigation has been launched.’
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