Banned Pit Bull Killed Baby Girl In Blackburn

The 11-month-old's mother, and her partner, are both in custody and being questioned by police on suspicion of manslaughter.

Ava has been described as "the most beautiful little girl" by her father

A pit bull terrier that mauled a baby girl to death in Blackburn was a banned dangerous dog.

Lancashire Constabulary said the dog, which was destroyed after the attack, had been identified by experts as a pit bull terrier-type dog which is prohibited under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Ava-Jayne Corless was in bed at a house in Emily Street when she was savaged by the animal on Monday night.

The 11-month-old's mother  Chloe King, 20, and her partner, Lee Wright, 26, are in custody and being

Ava was in bed when she was savaged by the pit bull terrier

questioned on suspicion of manslaughter.

The couple, who were initally arrested on suspicion of child neglect, are understood to have been downstairs when the attack took place.

Neighbours claim to have made previous complaints to police about the dog's behaviour.

Chief Superintendent Chris Bithell, of Lancashire Police, said: "As part of the investigation we are making inquiries to see whether there have been previous issues with this particular dog and I think at this moment it would be too early to speculate on that."

Ava-Jayne's father, named as Dean Corless, 24, described his daughter as "the most beautiful and adorable little girl".

"She was just the best. She was my whole world. Her mum and I aren't together any more, but I saw Ava-Jayne all the time," he told the Daily Mirror.

Police officers in Emily Street, Blackburn, after the attack

"I will miss her every single day. I just don't know what to do now. It is so tragic. I have my family around me, but we are all devastated."

The girl's grandmother, Bernadette Corless, 51, added: "It just can't believe it, it's such a shock.

"She was so young, it is so unfair for a baby to be taken away. She was just beautiful, like a china doll. She was a lively baby and was always happy."

A post mortem is expected to take place to determine Ava's exact cause of death.

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