A DEVASTATED family have paid a heartbreaking tribute to their “wonderful” little girl, 10, who was mauled to death by their XL Bully.
Savannah Bentham was attacked by the “new pet” inside their caravan near Malton, North Yorks, last Friday at around 4.15pm.
The attack took place in the family’s static caravan
The caravan is located near the village of East Heslerton, North Yorkshire
The youngster had been happily playing on swings in a park nearby just before the horror.
Savannah’s family have now issued a heartwrenching statement released by North Yorkshire Police.
It reads: “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.
“We thank everyone for their support and kindness as we struggle to come to terms with our loss.
“We ask that our family’s privacy is respected while we grieve for Savannah.”
It comes as locals described the harrowing moment the youngster’s mother ran out screaming “my baby’s dead”.
A gardener at a caravan park next door to the mobile home – based in the storage yard of a utilities company – told how the “piercing” screams from the girl’s mother were “etched in my memory”.
Keith, 67, said: “It’s done me in. I don’t drink much but I’ve drunk all weekend just to hide it. I didn’t sleep a wink on Friday. I’ve just not been able to cope with it. I’ll never forget it.
“I’d just got back to the site and I saw armed police fly in and the helicopters 10 minutes later.
“Then I heard the screaming. ‘My baby, my baby, my baby, my baby’s dead’.
“It was a piercing scream. I’ll take it to my grave – it was so harrowing. It’ll haunt me until the day I die.
“I’ll never forget it. Those screams were horrendous.
“I knew straight away what must have happened – I told my wife ‘I think the dog’s killed the girl’.”
Keith said Savannah, who attended a nearby primary school, had moved in to the static caravan three months ago with her mother and engineer father, Brad.
He added: “They’re a lovely family. A nice, working family with a beautiful daughter and tragedy’s struck.
“She was just lovely. Every time you saw her – she’d be racing up and down on her bike, just happy and full of joy.
“The girl was in here all the time, playing. She was a sweet girl, absolutely polite.
“She was a happy, bubbly, intelligent 10-year-old girl. She was so bright.
“She was a diamond. She was a gem, that kid. Intelligent, full of conversation – she was just an angel.
“I’ve five daughters and I can’t imagine what the parents are going through.”
Other residents said the 10-year-old had only recently boasted to friends: “I have got a new pet – an XL bully.”
Keith said he had seen the animal prowling outside the family’s static home.
He added: “If wasn’t an XL Bully, then it was very similar. It was a big, muscly thing.
“The family are going to be criticised for keeping a dog like that but they’ve paid dearly.
“It’s a massive, massive mistake they’ve made and they will blame themselves.
“They shouldn’t be punished any more.”
Fatal XL Bully attacks
A 10-year-old girl, locally named as Savannah, killed by her “new pet”, and XL Bully, on Friday November 1, 2024.
Woman in her 50s mauled to death at home by two XL Bully dogs in Hornchurch, East London on May 21, 2024.
Esther Martin, 68, was looking after her grandson in Jaywick, Essex, when dogs Bear and Beauty attacked her on February 3, 2024.
Ian “Scouse” Langley, 54, was protecting his puppy when the animal pounced on him outside a home in Sunderland in October 2023.
Ian Price, 52, was viciously savaged in September 2023 by the beasts as he tried to protect his elderly mum from them after they escaped.
Jonathan Hogg, 37, was killed in May 2023 entered the dog’s pen when it went for him, leaving bite wounds on his arm, leg and head.
Natasha Johnston, 28, was mauled to death while walking a pack of dogs in January 2023 was believed to have been killed by her own pet – an American Bully XL.
Shirley Patrick, 83, died 17 days after being mauled in a “hellish”, violent dog attack in December 2022.
Ian Symes, 34, who was known to friends as “Wiggy”, died at a recreation ground in Fareham, Hampshire, after the savage attack in August 2022.
Joanne Robinson, 43, was fatally mauled by pet Rocco at her home in Rotherham, South Yorkshire in July 2022.
Keven Jones, 62, went into cardiac arrest after being bitten by Cookie-Doe at Chanel Fong’s home in Wrexham, North Wales in May 2022.
Bella-Rae Birch, one, was mauled to death in March 2022 at her home by the American Bully XL.
Jack Lis, 10, was killed by a hulking XL Bully dog named Beast in November 2021 as he played at friend’s home in Caerphilly.
Meanwhile, another neighbour said: “It is just a horrible tragedy. She was such a sweet thing. I only know her because she would come to the park to play.
“Everybody is totally shocked and upset about it. The family have not lived here long.
“I have only met her. I have never met her mum and dad.
“She would come to the park and play on the swings and I would pass the time of day with her. She was a lovely little girl – really chatty. It is just so sad.”
Cops said a hero nearby tried to intervene and emergency services battled to save the girl but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A site official said: “We knew they had an XL bully dog. We only knew her because her mum had asked if she could play in the park and we said ‘Of course she can’.
“She told us she had a new dog. It was not that long ago.
“I have never seen or heard the dog and I am here every day.”
“There have been a couple of incidents when people had seen the dog come as far as the yard gate without any muzzle or lead on and that was a bit scary.
“She had said herself ‘We have got a new pet’.”
Tributes have flooded in on social media for the youngster. One woman posted on Facebook: “Such sad news. My heart goes out to the family.”
Another said: “Rest peacefully young lady condolences to all concerned.”
A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “The 10-year-old girl who tragically died at home after being bitten by her family’s dog can now be named as Savannah Bentham from the Malton area.
“North Yorkshire Police were called to the incident by Yorkshire Ambulance Service at around 4.15pm on Friday (1 November 2024).
“Savannah suffered serious injuries after being bitten by the dog.
“Despite the efforts of medical professionals and a member of the public who came to the family’s aid, the girl sadly died at the scene.
“Officers are conducting detailed enquiries covering all aspects of the incident.
“One of the lines of enquiry relates to the behaviour of the dog to help explain, as far as possible, why it attacked the girl.
“All indications so far suggest it was out-of-character, with Savannah and the dog having a close, loving relationship.
“Due to the circumstances of the incident, the dog will be destroyed.
“A post-mortem examination on Savannah took place on Sunday (3 November 2024) evening.
“An inquest is due to open and adjourn in the coming days.
“Our officers are continuing to support the family while enquiries continue.
“We again urge people not to speculate about the incident and to respect the family’s wish for privacy to grieve in peace.”
Dangerous Dogs Act explained
After eleven horrific attacks in 1991, Home Secretary Kenneth Baker promised “to rid the country of the menace of these fighting dogs” by introducing the Dangerous Dogs Act.
The law is often considered controversial as it focuses on a dog’s breed or looks instead of an individual dog’s behaviour, and fails to stem the rise of dog attacks.
According to the RSPCA, over a third of the people killed by dogs since the act was brought in were attacked by legal breeds.
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