Tributes to dog attack victim, four
A four-year-old boy who died after being attacked by a dog was a "lovely little lad", neighbours have said.
The child - named locally as John-Paul Massey - suffered serious injuries at a house in Wavertree, Liverpool, in the early hours of Monday.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, Merseyside Police said.
A 63-year-old woman, who is believed to have been injured as she separated the dog from the child, was taken to hospital for treatment.
Dog handlers and armed response officers attended the house in Ash Grove at 12.24am. Following a safety assessment the animal was destroyed.
The dog, described as a pit bull type, is thought to have belonged to the youngster's uncle, a serving soldier.
A neighbour said: "The barking started last night about midnight. It was very, very loud and drowned out the noise of all the traffic from the main road. I heard the police sirens a short time later and looked outside my window and saw an ambulance."
The neighbour added: "They are a lovely family, very close to each other and he was a lovely little lad. You would see him with his grandmother on the street and he always looked happy and smiling."
The family's parish priest, Father Peter Morgan, of St Anne's Church, Wavertree, left the house saying: "There is an awful lot of pain inside. They are broken, it is so, so sad."
Chief Superintendent Steve Ashley said officers had "no other option" but to kill the dog. He added: "This is a tragic incident and a full and thorough investigation will be carried out into the circumstances surrounding this young boy's death. Officers are with the family and our sympathies are with them at this time."
