Inquest rules North Yorkshire girl died from injuries in XL Bully attack
Savannah Bentham was attacked by the family pet last November
Last updated 23rd Sep 2025
An inquest has taken place into the death of a 10 year old North Yorkshire girl who was attacked by an XL Bully.
Savannah Bentham was killed by the pet at home in East Heslerton near Malton last November.
The coroner concluded she had died from injuries inflicted by the family dog.
The court heard the family had kept 'Biggie', an approximately seven-year-old XL Bully for four years, and described them as a 'lazy dog'
There had been no issues before the attack and no prior reports to police.
The dog was put down after the attack.
In a statement issued after her death her family said Savannah was a "wonderful girl - who we love so much".
Savannah Bentham was alone in the static caravan where she lived with her parents in the village of East Heslerton, in North Yorkshire, when she was attacked by the six-year-old family pet, Biggie, a police officer told a coroner on Tuesday.
Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Wilkinson told a hearing in Northallerton how Savannah's mother, Tracey Bentham, had popped out to ask a relative to fix a faulty gas cannister connection, and returned to find the tragic scene.
Mr Wilkinson said:
"Savannah was in a foetal position in the address and the dog was present and covered in blood."
The officer said Savannah's grandfather secured the dog in a car while attempts were made to resuscitate the schoolgirl, including by customers of a nearby business and, later, paramedics.
But the inquest heard she died at the scene from injuries to her neck.
Asked by North Yorkshire's senior coroner Jon Heath whether there had been any problems with Biggie in the past in the caravan, Mr Wilkinson said:
"It was entirely normal in terms of the dog being in the family home.
"There's never been any incident in relation to the dog in the family home as far as the inquiry determined."
Asked by the coroner, the officer confirmed that there were no witnesses to the attack in the caravan.
He said a post-mortem examination on the dog found no "physical or pathological alterations" that would have caused a "burst of aggression".
The officer said the family had owned the dog for about four years and thought he was about seven years old.
The veterinary pathologist said he thought the dog was about six, the court heard.
Mr Heath recorded a narrative conclusion after an hour-long hearing, saying Savannah died "as a consequence of injuries inflicted on her by the family dog".
Last year, North Yorkshire Police said the dog was identified as an XL bully and put down by a vet, confirming it had a certificate of exemption under the recent legislation which banned the breed.
In a statement issued by North Yorkshire Police after the incident, the family said: "We are utterly shocked and devastated by what happened to Savannah.
"We can't believe we have lost our wonderful girl who we love so much."