Grandmother guilt over mauled baby

Three-month-old Jaden Joseph Mack, who was staying with his grandmother Ann Denise Wilson at her home in Ystrad Mynach, South Wales, died after he was pulled from his bedding on a living room table and mauled by her Staffordshire bull terrier and a Jack Russell.

Mrs Wilson had been watching a DVD when she dozed off "for a few moments" and awoke to the horrific scene.

She had been minding the baby as normal over a weekend while Jaden's parents Christopher and Alexandra had a night off from looking after him.

Jaden suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage from the fall and would not have been aware of any pain during the attack by the dogs once he was on the floor, Newport Coroner's Court heard.

Gwent coroner David Bowen said the incident, which happened on the night of February 6 of this year, was "unforeseen" due to the dogs' previous friendly manner towards the baby.

The inquest heard evidence from Mrs Wilson stating the Staffordshire bull terrier, who was called Tyson, was as "docile as a dormouse".

Mr Bowen said: "Any criticism of thoughtlessness that may be levelled at Mrs Wilson pales into insignificance compared to the self-recrimination and guilt that will undoubtedly be carried to her grave."

He stressed that, however docile a family dog may appear, whatever their breed, they are essentially pack animals by instinct and should be supervised around babies and children at all times.

He added: "The dogs' actions were not foreseen nor were they anticipated, therefore the proper verdict is that of accidental death."