Tragic Dog Attack Claims Life of Seven-Month-Old Baby Elle Doherty

Elle Doherty, a seven-month-old from Coventry, suffered a fatal head injury after being bitten by the family’s Belgian Malinois, Zeus. The heartbreaking incident unfolded at home as Elle sat by a window, leading to what an inquest described as a “sudden and unanticipated” attack, according to the Independent.

CCTV footage presented to the court captured the devastating moment. It showed Elle’s parents, Sean and Natasha Doherty, rushing to intervene as the 31kg dog attacked. The assault lasted less than a second, during which the couple could be seen cradling their injured daughter in an effort to protect her.

Detective Inspector Anthony Hibbert explained to the court, “It appears from when you watch the footage, maybe baby Elle slightly leant on Zeus and that is when Zeus attacks baby Elle”, according to BBC.

Elle was rushed to the hospital, but tragically, her injuries proved fatal, and she passed away shortly after.

In a statement to the inquest, her father Sean shared that the family had acquired Zeus as a puppy from a Gloucester breeder in October 2020. Sean recalled the moments of the attack, stating, “We were just chatting and suddenly [Natasha] shouted, ‘No.’ I grabbed him (Zeus) — I think it was his collar. I chucked him outside. Elle was on the floor crying. Everything happened so quickly.”

Sean described Zeus as generally well-behaved, “good around people, good around other dogs,” and noted that the pet had been trained by two professionals. He added that Zeus had never displayed aggression before the attack. These sentiments were echoed by Natasha, who said the dog had never shown much interest in Elle.

The Belgian Malinois, often used as a working breed, is not classified as dangerous under UK law. Following the incident, Zeus was removed from the family home and humanely euthanized. Police confirmed they were satisfied no criminal offence had occurred.

Coroner Delroy Henry summarized the case, noting, “The dog has shown no signs of aggression to baby Elle or, indeed, any of the occupants of that home. Baby Elle brushed against him. I find as a fact that the dog bit the head of baby Elle. Sadly, baby Elle died a short time later.”

He described the incident as a tragic and life-altering event for the family, adding, “I really don’t think there are any words that I could say to console the family of Elle save to reiterate that my heart goes out to Elle’s parents and family.”