Teenage mother of baby mauled to death by rottweiler pays tribute to her 'lil angel'

Becki Hirst turned 18 today, just two days after her son Archie-Lee Hirst was killed by the family pet, which police described as weighing "in the region of seven to 10 stone".

The toddler was spending Christmas at his grandparents' house in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, when the family pet launched the attack.

Ms Hirst today left a message for her baby son on her page on the social networking website Bebo. She wrote: "RIP my lil angel mummy knows your still here love u alway and foreva x x x x x x."

It emerged today that the baby boy was mauled to death after the animal snatched him from the arms of a seven-year-old girl.

Scroll down for more ...

The dog which attacked one-year-old Archie-Lee Hirst was owned by his grandmother and the tragedy happened at her home.

The child's aunt, a 16-year-old who was babysitting, tried in vain to fight off the two-year-old pet, punching and kicking it as the animal savaged the helpless baby.

A neighbour described the dog as "mad" and "aggressive".

It was shot dead at the scene by a police marksman.

Friends of Miss Hirst were leaving messages of condolence on the website which Archie-Lee's mother set up after his birth just over a year ago.

Miss Hirst called her webpage "Mummy to Archie-Lee" and on it reveals her hopes for her son and his future.

She says she hoped his first word would be "Mummy" and writes: "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have him.

"I love it when he does his little giggle. He absolutely gorgeous ... love you, baby boy."

The tragedy happened as the aunt, believed to be Rebecca's sister, cared for Archie-Lee and two girls aged six and seven at the house in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on Friday afternoon.

Rebecca was out with her mother, who owned the dog.

The seven-year-old was carrying the baby out of the kitchen door towards the back yard where the dog was kept.

The dog grabbed the baby in its jaws and dragged him into the yard.

The babysitter was upstairs at the red-brick detached house when the dog attacked.

After tackling the dog herself, she raised the alarm.

Rebecca rushed back to the house when she heard about the incident.

Scroll down for more ...

A paramedic tried to save the boy at the scene before he was rushed to Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield.

But his injuries were so severe that he was pronounced dead at 9.10pm.

Two hours after the alarm was raised, the dog was still out of control and, despite efforts to cage it, the decision was taken to shoot it.

Detective Superintendent Steve Payne of West Yorkshire Police said a marksman shot it once through the head.

Yesterday, stunned neighbours in the quiet cul-de-sac told how the drama unfolded.

Andy Foster, 28, an accountant, who lives in a terrace house 50 yards away, said the street suddenly filled with police and ambulances at around 3.40pm on Friday, and told how the child's mother was sobbing hysterically in the street.

He said: "The place was swarming with police and paramedics.

"I saw a woman I believe is the mother sobbing hysterically and screaming.

"She was taken away in a car by police soon after.

"The dog was barking non-stop.

"Police handlers with poles were trying to corner it but it wouldn't calm down.

"Then suddenly a single shot rang out.

"The sound of it filled our house. Then all fell silent. It was eerie.'

He added: "The rottweiler was always outside. I think it was usually chained up.

"I've been worried about it ever since it arrived;it was a vicious-looking thing and massive, coming almost up to my waist.

"When anybody walked past, it would go mad, leaping up at the gate."

Det Supt Payne added: "The dog was a family pet, a two-and-a-half-year-old female rottweiler.

"It had interacted with members of the family - including children, and another dog and cat at the house - and had showed no previous signs of aggression."

Last night,, Damien's father, Andrew Williamson, 48, a taxi driver – who also owns a rottweiler – said Rebecca's mother's dog had been bought because her house had been repeatedly burgled.

He said his son had described the dog as "nasty".

He told how he had seen his grandson on Christmas Day. "He was a beautiful lad. We saw him playing with his toys. We will never get over this," he said.

Archie-Lee's death is the latest fatality by a dangerous dog and has echoes of the tragedy of Ellie Lawrenson, the five-year-old savaged last New Year's Day by her uncle's pit-bull terrier.

And yesterday, a girl told of another mauling by a rottweiler which attacked her eight-year-old cousin on Boxing Day.

Lauren Fearn, 12, has a badly injured right arm and left hand after battling to kick the dog off her cousin, Jessica Griffiths, during the attack at her home in Leicester. Jessica suffered minor injuries.

Police are investigating.