Six-day-old baby killed when she was grabbed from her pram by pet dog died accidentally, coroner rules

A sleeping six-day-old baby was killed 'accidentally' when she was grabbed from her pram by her family’s pet dog, an inquest has been told.

Eliza-Mae Mullane was left alone for just 'a few moments' while her mother Sharon John, 42, saw her five-year-old son off to school from the front door of the family home in Pontyberem, south Wales.

When she returned seconds later, Ms John found Eliza-Mae dead on the floor next to her pram suffering serious 'compression injuries to the skull' that a coroner said caused her 'accidental death'.

 

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Tragic: Six-day-old Eliza-Mae Mullane was left alone for just 'a few moments' at her family home in Pontyberem, south Wales when the dog attacked her. Her mother found dying on the floor next to her pram

 

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Accident: Eliza-Mae (pictured left, and with her father Patrick, right) was found dead on the floor next to her pram suffering serious 'compression injuries to the skull' that a coroner said caused her 'accidental death'

In the moments before the attack, Ms John fed her six-day-old daughter and put her to sleep in a pram so that she could briefly walk her son Harley to the taxi that was waiting outside the house ready to take him to school.

Coroner’s officer David Williams told the hearing: 'Eliza-Mae was being breastfed when Sharon heard the taxi arrive and placed her in a pram to take her brother to the taxi.'

'Eliza-Mae was asleep in the pram. Sharon opened the porch door and the dog walked past her into the house - the dog normally sleeps in the porch.'

'A few moments later Sharon returned to the house to see the pet dog in the living room and Eliza-Mae on the floor.'

'She had clearly suffered serious head injuries and Sharon believed she was no longer alive.'

 

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Died aged six days old: Eliza-Mae spent the first three days of her short life in a special care unit at the maternity hospital where she was born. She spent the night two nights at home, before dying on the sixth day

 

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Eliza-Mae's parents Patrick Mullane (left) and Sharon John attended the five-minute inquest this morning

 

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Funeral: Patrick Mullane, 35, father of Eliza-Mae, carried her coffin outside the Holy Cross Catholic Church

 

 

 

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Baby: The coffin was covered with pink and white flowers as Mr Mullane placed it in the funeral vehicle

 

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Emotional day: Sharon John, 42, mother of Eliza-Mae Mullane, wore pink for the funeral of her daughter

Ms John phoned 999 and desperately tried to perform CPR on her baby girl but it was too late.

The inquest was told the family had two dogs - an Alaskan Malamute called Misha and a terrier called Roxy - neither of which had ever shown any aggression towards Ms John's two older children.

The hearing was not told which dog carried out the attack, but both animals were destroyed by police two weeks later.

The inquest in Llanelli heard the cause of Eliza-Mae's death was compression of the skull with inter-cranial bleeding.

Mr Williams said: 'Eliza-Mae was six days old at the time of her death. She had been bitten by one of the family dogs.'

'Despite the best efforts of her mother she died of her injuries during the incident. She telephone 999 and was instructed how to perform CPR until an ambulance crew arrived.'

 

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Mourners: People carried flowers, pink teddies and heart-shaped wreaths into the simple 30-minute service

 

 

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On display: An undertaker carried pictures of Eliza Mae (left) as the funeral procession arrived at the church

 

Carmarthenshire Coroner Mark Layton said the fatal attack happened in a 'short space of time” when Sharon helped her son into a taxi for school.

He said: 'A pet dog pushed past her as she opened the porch door and Eliza-Mae had been pulled from her pram and had serious and fatal injuries inflicted on her. Eliza-Mae’s mother could not have foreseen this happening.'

A verdict of accidental death was recorded at the end of the five-minute hearing.

Eliza-Mae’s parents attended the short inquest and left immediately.

In a statement to the inquest Eliza-Mae’s father Patrick, 35, said: 'We hope this inquest will raise public awareness of the potential dangers family dogs can present to very young children.'

'I hope Sharon, the children and I can move on from this sadness and recall the joy the short time we spent with Eliza-Mae.'

 

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Emotional day: Mrs John was comforted outside the Catholic church in Carmarthenshire by fellow mourners

 

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Memory: The order of service for six-day-old Eliza-Mae (left), who is also seen in these photographs (right)

 

 

 

Shortly after the attack Eliza-Mae’s parents said her death had 'cast the most horrible shadow' over the family.

In a family statement they said: 'Even though she was an important part of our family for such a short period of time, Eliza-Mae will always be in our hearts and thought.'

'We will cherish the little time we were able to share with her. She was a dearly loved daughter, sister, grand-daughter and niece.'

'She brought joy into our family, and losing her like this has cast the most horrible shadow over all of us.'

Last month Mr Mullane carried her small pink coffin into a church today as mourners gathered to pay their last respects.

Her devastated parents were greeted by friends and family outside Pontyberem's Holy Cross Catholic Church.

The order of service carried a picture of Eliza-Mae still wearing her hospital ID wrist band, and the words ‘Daddy's pudding’. Her parents both wore pink for the funeral, attended by 50 mourners.

People carried pink teddies and heart-shaped wreaths into the simple 30-minute service. The baby's coffin was covered with pink and white flowers as scrap dealer Mr Mullane carried it into the church.

 

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Scene: In the moments before the attack, Sharon John saw her five-year-old son off to school from the front door of the family home in Pontyberem, south Wales (pictured)

 

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Tribute: An elderly neighbour leaves flowers outside the family home in Pontyberem

 

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Sad: Flowers and a cuddly toys were left outside the family home in south Wales in the days after the attack

Father Pius Augustine said: ‘This is a terribly sad occasion for Eliza-Mae's family. The whole community is behind them and they will be in our thoughts and prayers.’

Two children's songs - The Butterfly Song and Somewhere Over the Rainbow, sung by Eva Cassidy - were played. Police who investigated Eliza-Mae's death sat with her family and friends.

The order of service carried a picture of Eliza-Mae still wearing her hospital ID wrist band, and the words ‘Daddy's pudding’. Her parents both wore pink for the funeral, attended by 50 mourners.