Girl, 10, killed by pet dog is named

A 10-year-old girl who died after being bitten by her family’s dog has been named.

Savannah Bentham suffered serious injuries after being attacked at about 16:15 GMT on Friday and despite efforts by medical professionals, died at the scene near Malton in North Yorkshire, police said.

In a statement Savannah's family said they were "utterly shocked and devastated" by the death of their "wonderful girl".

Police said due to the circumstances the dog would be destroyed.

The force said so far its investigation indicated the attack was "out-of-character" and that the girl and dog had "a close, loving relationship".

Savannah's family added: “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.”

A police spokesperson said a post-mortem examination on Savannah took place on Sunday evening and an inquest into her death would be opened at a later date.

They said: "We are conducting detailed inquiries covering all aspects of the incident.

"One of the lines of inquiry relates to the behaviour of the dog to help explain, as far as possible, why it attacked the girl."

The force has not identified the dog's breed.

Officers were continuing to support the family, they added.

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