Woman, 25, is savaged to death by her family’s pet dog

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A 25-year-old woman was savaged to death by her family’s pet dog, which reportedly chewed her arm off as she lay in bed, according to horrified neighbours. 

The woman, named locally as Keira Ladlow, was alone at a house in the Kitts Green area of Birmingham when she was attacked by the dog suffering horrific injuries.  

Police and paramedics were called to the property at 2pm yesterday after a relative raised the alarm and Ms Ladlow was pronounced dead at the scene.

West Midlands Police said no one else was in the property at the time and the Staffordshire cross dog was handed over to officers to be put down. 

The dog bit her arm off while she lay in bed, according to neighbours on the quiet residential street of redbrick houses, who told of their shock.    

Grandfather-of-five Eric Kirton, 72, a retired industrial cleaner, said: ‘I saw everything going on outside.

‘There were ambulances and police cars. I thought they were searching for a person, then I heard about the dog and thought they must’ve been looking for it.

‘My daughter phoned up and said a young lady had been bitten by a dog.

‘She’s a manageress in a cafe where lots of police go and heard there that the woman was in bed when the dog chewed her arm off.

‘I don’t know how she died, but it might’ve been from the wounds.Last night I could see eight or so relatives turn up at the house.

‘It’s such a surprise – I think most people around here had no idea what had happened.

‘It’s horrific. What a shame. It’s a shame for her and the dog. I love dogs, but had never seen that one.’

A woman, who didn’t not want to be named, said: ‘It’s shocking, absolutely shocking.

‘I’ve only recently moved here and don’t know her or the family. There was never any trouble there, and I never saw the dog.

‘There were loads of police and an ambulance when I came back from the shops. Then I found out when my friend sent me the news story this morning.

‘It’s terrible and must’ve been a horrific way to die.’

Another woman added: ‘When the police and ambulances came we were told to come outside because something had happened, then heard a young woman had died.

‘There were lots of cars and a rapid response team. I didn’t really know about the cause of death until I heard it was a dog attack.

‘I thought ‘no way’ because it felt completely surreal. It’s the kind of thing that only happens in the movies.

‘I still can’t understand how a pet can turn like that. I saw the dog being taken away and, as far as I can tell, it looked fine.

‘I’d never seen it before and I heard from a neighbour it was only walked at certain times. She used to pull her own dog away from it because she thought it was violent.

‘I saw on the news it was a Staffie, but to be it looked more like a Bull Mastiff. I don’t know the woman at all, only that she was 25.’

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: ‘We were called to Sunbeam Way just after 2pm on Friday by a relative.

‘Sadly, a woman, aged 25, was found dead at the scene after suffering serious injuries believed to have been caused by a family dog which also lived at the address.

‘No-one else was in the property at the time, and the woman’s family has signed the dog, believed to be a Staffordshire cross, over to police.

‘It will be humanely put to sleep.’

He added: ‘The death is being treated as a tragic incident, but with no suspicious circumstances.

‘A file will be prepared for the coroner in due course.’