Newborn baby attacked by Staffordshire Bull Terrier in Yaxley

A newborn baby boy left fighting for life after being attacked by his parents’ Staffordshire Bull Terrier dog was said to be ‘in a bad way’ today.

Little Reuben McNulty aged less than a month old is believed to be in a critical condition in hospital after being attacked in the early hours of Sunday morning.

He is believed to have been attacked by one of two dogs owned by his parents who have been named locally as Dan McNulty and Amy Litchfield.

Ms Litchfield’s father, Paul Litchfield, was at the property today and said what happened was a ‘freak accident’

Today Amy’s father Paul Litchfield visited the couple’s home where the attack happened in the village of Yaxley near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

He insisted that Reuben had been injured in a freak accident and that both Amy and Dan were good parents.

Two people aged 28 and 31 have been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and released on bail, according to police.

Speaking from the £160,000 two-bedroom flat, Mr Litchfield said: ‘They’re not going to be here for months now because that kid is not good bless him. Even the parents are in a bad way.

‘At the end of the day it’s just a big freak accident and 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. They bloody aren’t, they’ve been fantastic.

The incident unfolded at the family's home in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, pictured

The incident unfolded at the family’s home in Yaxley, Cambridgeshire, pictured

Mr Litchfield added: ‘If they were horrible parents they wouldn’t be sitting with that young lad now. People need to realise there’s always two sides to the story.

‘The thing is there’s a lot at stake here for everybody, not just them, for us as well, as family.’

Reuben is believed to have been attacked by one of the couple’s two Staffordshire Bull Terriers, which are called Fizzy and Dotty.

Paramedics were called to the family’s home following the attack which happened at around 1.47am on Sunday morning. Reuben was rushed to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. 

A man who lives opposite the couple’s flat says he told them to ‘be careful’ around the dogs after bringing Reuben home from hospital last month.

The baby was attacked at 1.47am on Sunday at a house in Yaxley, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

The baby was attacked at 1.47am on Sunday at a house in Yaxley, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

Asking not to be named, the man 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 he would. He said, “Me and Amy were thinking about that anyway”. I can’t work out what happened.’

Amy, 31, posted pictures of a newborn baby, believed to be Reuben, less than a month ago on social media.

Photos of Fizz and Dotty also appear on her Facebook profile.

Another neighbour described the dogs as ‘vicious’.

The man said: ‘I have seen those dogs before and they are vicious and will show their teeth at anyone.’ 

The baby boy is in Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with life-threatening injuries

The baby boy is in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with life-threatening injuries

He told how he was woken by police sirens in the early hours of Sunday.

‘I was woken in the middle of the night to sirens and bright lights and I was worried,’ the man said.

‘I went outside and there were seven police vehicles, two police vans an ambulance and the paramedics. The police brought a man and a woman out of the house in handcuffs.

‘Straight away the ambulance left the house with a police escort. I knew then that someone must be very badly hurt.’ 

A couple aged 28 and 31 have been arrested by police on suspicion of child neglect and released on bail pending further inquiries.

A Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: ‘We were called by the ambulance service at 1.47am yesterday (Sunday, November 18) to an address in Wykes Road, Yaxley, with reports of concern for baby boy who had been attacked by a dog.

‘Officers and paramedics attended the scene and the baby was taken to Peterborough City Hospital before being transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, with life-threatening injuries. He remains in a critical condition.

‘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 15 December.

‘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.’

The flat where the family lives is a 1960s property on a quiet residential cul-de-sac around four miles south of Peterborough.

 

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