Two Rottweilers who mauled a five-week-old baby to death had already been reported to the council by terrified neighbours months before the tragedy, it has been revealed.
Mia Jade Riley was asleep in a bassinet at her grandfather’s home in Moruya, on the NSW South Coast on Saturday night when the dogs suddenly attacked her about 10.40pm.
Her parents and several other adults desperately tried to save her and she was rushed to hospital, where she sadly died of her injuries.
Friends of the family told Daily Mail Australia the dog attack was completely random and came after they had been dozing harmlessly near the little girl.
However, multiple neighbours have now revealed they were so afraid of the Rottweilers they had stopped walking by the property where they lived.
Friends of the family told Daily Mail Australia that the dog’s attack was completely random. One of the Rottweilers is pictured
Medics at the nearby Moruya Hospital were unable to save Mia Jade (pictured) and she died
Mia Jade’s father, local chiropractor Tom Riley, and his wife Lani (pictured) leapt to prise the dogs off their baby girl
The dogs are believed to belong to Mia’s mother’s cousin, who lives next door to the property where the attack took place.
‘We warned them .. we said (to council) they will attack someone one day, they are so loud and intimidating,’ an elderly resident told the Daily Telegraph.
Another local added: ‘I know the council went there, maybe six to 12 months ago and spoke to the people (who own the dogs).
‘But nothing really changed. I’m not aware of them ever attacking, but they are just scary to look at and very large, you just worry what they could do if they got out.’
Eurobodalla Shire Council is not commenting on the reports.
A spokeswoman previously confirmed the dogs were seized by council rangers but was unable to comment further due to the ongoing police investigation.
Police are believed to still be interviewing the parents and other adults who were at the gathering to understand exactly how the attack happened.
The child was asleep next to a table of six to eight adults when she was attacked.
Mia Jade’s father, local chiropractor Tom Riley, and his wife Lani leapt to prise the dogs off their baby girl as horrified guests at the dinner scrambled to help.
They bundled up the blood-soaked child and rushed her by car to the nearby Moruya Hospital. But medics were unable to save her and she died shortly after midnight.
‘Everyone there had to be involved to get the dogs off,’ a family friend told Daily Mail Australia.
The dogs were seized by council rangers after the attack but their fate is currently unclear (one of the Rottweilers is pictured)
The Rottweilers (pictured) are believed to belong to Mia’s mother’s cousin, who lives next door to the property where the attack took place
Friends of little Mia Jade Riley’s family (Mia Jade pictured with father Tom) have revealed how the child was asleep next to a table of six to eight adults at her grandfather’s home in Moruya, on the NSW south coast, on Saturday night when the tragedy occurred about 10.40pm
A friend said Tom and Lani Riley’s (pictured) two-year-old daughter had also been around the dogs repeatedly since she was born without any incident
The baby had been asleep in a bassinet at her grandfather’s home in Moruya (pictured), on the NSW south coast on Saturday night
‘There was a considerable amount of blood, it was terrible.
‘There was just no warning.
‘They were just having a family barbecue with the neighbours at the rear of the property and then they turned around the dogs were on her.
‘There were no other kids, the dogs weren’t running around and no-one was provoking the dogs or anything. They weren’t agitated or distressed.
‘It just happened out of nowhere.’
He said the couple’s other two-year-old daughter had also been around the dogs repeatedly since she was born without any incident.
‘They’ve done it before, and there’s never been any issues before,’ he said.
‘They have another child who has probably been in the same position or very similar.
‘There’s never been an issue. It’s really horrible. It’s just beyond words.’
He said the tight-knit seaside town was reeling from the attack.
‘It’s really knocked this little community around,’ he said. ‘There’s nothing you can say. It’s just that tragic.
‘This will be really difficult for all the family to deal with. I spoke to the grandfather and he’s just in shock.’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk