North Yorkshire girl killed by family’s XL bully dog, inquest finds

A 10-year-old girl has died after being attacked by her family’s XL bully dog at their home in East Heslerton, near Malton, North Yorkshire. An inquest at Northallerton Coroner’s Court concluded that the minor girl Savannah Bentham was fatally wounded by the pet on 1 November 2024, BBC reports.

The six-year-old dog, called Biggie, had been neutered and certified in accordance with the law, with no previous incidents of aggression. Returning a narrative conclusion, North Yorkshire coroner Jon Heath expressed his “sincere condolences” to Savannah’s family.

According to BBC, the inquest heard that Savannah had been watching television when her mother, Tracey Bentham, briefly left the caravan to ask a relative to fix a faulty gas cannister connection.

Police Describe aftermath of the attack

Detective chief inspector Matthew Wilkinson, of North Yorkshire Police told the inquest: “Savannah was in a foetal position in the address and the dog was present and covered in blood.”

The officer said Savannah’s grandfather managed to secure the dog in a car while efforts were made to resuscitate the schoolgirl, first by customers of a nearby business and later by paramedics. Despite their attempts, Savannah died at the scene from neck injuries.

A post-mortem on the dog, which was put down by a vet following the incident, found no “physical or pathological alterations” that would have caused a sudden burst of aggression, the inquest heard.

The family had complied with the new dog law

In February last year, it became illegal to sell, give away, abandon, or breed from XL bullies, with existing pets required to be neutered, certified, and muzzled in public. North Yorkshire Police confirmed the family had complied with the new law and said the attack appeared “out of character,” noting Savannah and the dog had “a close, loving relationship.”