Pictured: ‘Distraught’ family friend nail technician, 28, arrested after her ‘bulldog’ mauled boy, nine, to death in Cornish caravan park – as it emerges he ‘was left alone with the animal despite FOUR previous attacks’
Frankie MacRitchie nine with mother Tawnee Willis
A ‘bulldog’ that mauled a nine-year-old boy to death at a caravan park had been left alone with the youngster despite a history of attacks, it emerged today, as its owner was revealed as a nail technician who is a friend of the family.
Frankie MacRitchie was killed by a seven-year-old ‘bulldog-type breed’ called Winston while on holiday at Tencreek Holiday Park in Looe, Cornwall.
Owner Sadie Totterdell, 28, a friend of Frankie’s mother Tawnee Willis, was arrested in Plymouth on suspicion of manslaughter and having a dog dangerously out of control, but was later released under investigation.
Speaking from the family home, Miss Totterdell’s mother said her daughter was ‘distraught’ at the ‘tragedy’.ADVERTISING
Frankie had been staying at the park with relatives and friends, but they were in an ‘adjacent’ caravan when he was attacked at around 5am on Saturday.
Members of the public who heard ‘sounds of distress’ coming from the caravan rushed over to give Frankie first aid before the emergency services arrived but he died at the scene.
Ms Willis, 30, was reportedly seen crying and screaming in her dressing gown after the incident.
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The owner of a dog that mauled a boy to death at a holiday park in Cornwall has been named as nail technician Sadie Totterdell, 28, pictured with a similar dog
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Frankie MacRitchie, nine, pictured with mother Tawnee Willis in a photo taken just hours before his death, was posted with the caption ‘caravan life with my babes’
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Frankie MacRitchie, nine, was found dead by police inside a static caravan following the dog attack at around 5am on a Saturday
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Ms Totterdell’s (pictured left and right) mother said her daughter was ‘distraught’ at Frankie’s death
Ms Totterdell’s mother Denise, 58, today said both families were reeling from the tragedy.
She said: ‘Sadie is not good at all. It is just tragic, really.
‘It is still too raw we are all trying to still just process it, especially for the family as well. It is just so, so sad.’
Denise said her daughter was not at home and dogs could be heard barking from within the property.
Meanwhile Ms Willis is staying at her parents’ home and today declined to comment on the story any further.
A source told The Sun that the dog was often muzzled after being involved in four less-serious attacks in the past, including one that happened just a few weeks ago.
It is claimed that Frankie’s mother and Ms Totterdell had gone for drinks in another caravan when the attack took place.
Today Frankie’s headteacher at Riverside Primary School, Plymouth, described him as a ‘happy, laid-back character’ in a tribute.
