A mother returned home to find her daughter fatally injured and the family XL bully dog “covered in blood”, an inquest has heard.
Savannah Bentham, 10, died on 1 November 2024 after being attacked by Biggie, a six-year-old family pet.
The girl was alone in the caravan where she lived with her parents, in North Yorkshire’s East Heslerton, when the incident occurred.
Savannah’s mother, Tracey Bentham, had popped out to ask a relative to fix a faulty gas cannister connection, and returned to find the tragic scene, Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Wilkinson told a hearing in Northallerton.
“Savannah was in a foetal position in the address and the dog was present and covered in blood.”
Mr Wilkinson said Savannah’s grandfather secured the dog in a car and attempts were made to resuscitate the schoolgirl, including by customers of a nearby business and, later, by paramedics.
However, the inquest heard she died at the scene from injuries to her neck.
Mr Wilkinson told the court that there was no evidence the dog had ever acted aggressively before, and the family had complied with everything that was required in relation to its exemption certificate under the recent dangerous dogs legislation.
He said this included being registered with a vet and appropriately chipped and neutered. Biggie also wore a muzzle in public.
The officer said there was no requirement for the dog to have a muzzle in the family home.
Mr Wilkinson said Savannah’s father, Bradley, was at work at the time of the incident and the girl was at home with her mother as it was school holidays.
He said the family’s caravan was part of an industrial unit and Mrs Bentham had gone to find Savannah’s grandfather, Mark, who was elsewhere on the site, after she realised the heating gas cannister he had just installed was not working properly and Savannah wanted a shower.
Mr Wilkinson said: “At the time, Savannah was at home with Biggie, watching TV.”
He said there had been nothing up to that point that was “any cause for concern” and the family described Biggie as a “lazy dog”.
He said: “When they returned back to the caravan they could see that Biggie had attacked Savannah and, consequently, the emergency services were called.”
Asked by North Yorkshire’s senior coroner Jon Heath whether there had been any problems with Biggie in the past in the caravan, Mr Wilkinson said: “It was entirely normal in terms of the dog being in the family home.
“There’s never been any incident in relation to the dog in the family home as far as the inquiry determined.”
Asked by the coroner, the officer confirmed that there were no witnesses to the attack in the caravan.
He said a post-mortem examination on the dog found no “physical or pathological alterations” that would have caused a “burst of aggression”.
The officer said the family had owned the dog for about four years and thought he was about seven years old.
The veterinary pathologist said he thought the dog was about six, the court heard.
Mr Heath recorded a narrative conclusion after an hour-long hearing, saying Savannah died “as a consequence of injuries inflicted on her by the family dog”.
Last year, North Yorkshire Police said the dog was identified as an XL bully and put down by a vet, confirming it had a certificate of exemption under the recent legislation which banned the breed.
In a statement issued by North Yorkshire Police after the incident, the family said: “We are utterly shocked and devastated by what happened to Savannah.
“We can’t believe we have lost our wonderful girl who we love so much.”
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