Aunt who tried to rescue toddler from jaws of rottweiler is 'heroic' says grieving mother

Kara Hirst, 16, was looking after Archie-Lee Hirst at her mother's house in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, when he was snatched from the arms of his seven-year-old aunt and killed.

Brave Kara made an attempt to save the tot by kicking and punching the frenzied dog. But she was unable to prise Archie-Lee from its jaws.

Archie-Lee's mother Becki Hirst, 18, paid tribute to her sister in a statement released on Sunday, her 18th birthday.

She said: "I'd like to say to Kara we are all so proud of her - she tried. She's a hero in my eyes.

"She's a heroine and will be respected for what she did for the rest of her life."

Kara's courage has also been praised by the police, who have revealed that the youngster is "devastated" over her vain battle to save her nephew. She is still in shock and receiving counselling.

Both Becki and Archie-Lee's father, Damian Williamson, have updated their Bebo social networking sites with a picture of their tragic son and the words "R.I.P Archie-Lee 4.11.06 - 28.12.07."

Grieving Becki has also written a heartfelt tribute to her son saying: "R.I.P my sleepin angel always in our hearts loved so much the pain im feelin is like no otha missin u so much ur always here watchin us all."

Tributes and messages of support have been flooding in with many offering their sympathies to Becki and praising Kara for her brave actions.

Scroll down for more...

Friend Gwyn wrote: "I am just visiting ur page to offer my condolances to you becki for the loss of your little son archie, AND also wanna say that ur sister is a HERO for doing all she could for ur son. Your son will never be forgotten."

Becki has so far refused to return to the death scene and the family are being comforted by family and friends. They are expected to return to the house in the New Year.

Police last night said she was "inconsolable and devastated". Through them, she issued a statement in which she spoke about her "sleeping angel".

Her statement said: "It's so hard for me at this time. My boy was my world.

Scroll down for more...

"We shared so many precious memories in the short while that we had together. He is loved by many.

"We will always be in our hearts, never to be forgotten. He's my sleeping angel.

"All I want is to give my baby the best send off that he deserves so my little Archie can rest in peace.

"RIP my little angel. You're in our hearts forever, Mummy's little man."

Mr Williamson posted a tribute to his son on his Bebo internet site, saying: "Never gona 4get ya lil man, RIP 4eva n always, miss ya so much, ur mummy sez i can ave ur iggle piggle, so gna keep him in car wi me xxxxx."

Miss Hirst has a flat in Wakefield where she lived with Archie-Lee, but left the baby at her mother Sharon's home while she went shopping with Mrs Hirst.

The two-year-old female rottweiler was Mrs Hirst's family pet and questions have been asked about leaving the dog alone in a house with a baby and children.

Rottweilers are not banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act and police do not believe an offence was committed as it involved a legal family pet attacking a member of the family on private premises.

However, Archie-Lee's paternal grandparents have demanded to know why the baby was left in a house with two young girls and unprotected from the dog.

Andrew Williamson, 48, told a Sunday newspaper: "We've got rottweilers too but we would never let a child be alone around them.

"Damian said the dog was vicious. He said it could be nasty. I want to know why this has happened to our beautiful grandson."

His wife Paula, 41, added: "We don't think a 16-year-old is old enough to be looking after a baby and other children and we certainly don't think a seven-year-old should have been able to open a door with such a vicious dog outside.

Scroll down for more...

"The children in that family may have called the dog their teddy bear but it was bought for protection because the house had been burgled so many times."

Police are continuing to investigate the death, but it is being treated as a terrible accident.

Detective Superintendent Steve Payne said the family would "work through" the tragedy.

"The birthday doesn't help and neither does New Year."

Asked about the babysitting arrangements, he said: "It's like any other family over Christmas. She has left the granddaughter with her mother."

In September 2006 five-month-old Caydee-Lee Glaze was mauled to death by two rottweilers and 2007 started with the death in Merseyside of Ellie Lawrenson, five, from a pit bull terrier on New Year's Day.

On Boxing Day Lauren Fern, 12, from Leicester, suffered serious injuries after pulling a rottweiler off her eight-year-old cousin.