A seven-month-old baby, Elle Doherty, was fatally mauled by her family’s pet dog, Zeus, a Belgian Malinois in Shorncliffe Road, Coundon.
The inquest at Coventry Coroner’s Court revealed that the fatal attack occurred on June 16 as Elle, crawling on the living room floor, leaned on the dog. Zeus responded with a catastrophic bite to her head, causing injuries that proved fatal.
The attack, described as lasting no more than a second, was captured on the family’s indoor security camera. Freeze-frame images shown in court depicted the 35-kilogram (4st 12oz) dog being pulled off Elle by her parents, Sean and Natasha Doherty, who reacted instantly. Despite immediate medical assistance, Elle succumbed to her injuries an hour after the attack.
Coroner Delroy Henry characterized the incident as a “sudden and unanticipated” act of aggression. The court was told that Zeus had not previously displayed any signs of hostility towards Elle or the family. However, it was revealed that the dog had undergone behaviorist sessions two years earlier and had been assessed again for behavioral concerns shortly before the tragedy.
Detective Inspector Anthony Hibbert, who reviewed the footage, noted the rapid sequence of events. “It appears from when you watch the footage, maybe baby Elle slightly leant on Zeus, and that is when Zeus attacks baby Elle,” he explained. Stills presented in court showed the couple reacting immediately to protect their child and restrain the dog.
Mr. Doherty, in a written statement read aloud in court, recounted how they had acquired Zeus as a puppy from a breeder in Gloucester in October 2020. Reflecting on the incident, he said, “We were just chatting, and suddenly Natasha shouted, ‘No.’ I grabbed him—his collar, I think. I chucked him outside. Elle was on the floor crying. Everything happened so quickly.”
Zeus, a reactive dog trained by two separate experts and muzzle-trained, had previously shown no interest in Elle, according to Mrs. Doherty. “When Elle was born, Zeus showed no interest,” she wrote in her statement. “He would sniff her a little sometimes, but he was fine.”
After the attack, a dog-handler was summoned to the scene, using a sedation dart to subdue Zeus before he was taken to a vet and euthanized.
In his conclusion, Coroner Henry delivered a narrative verdict, stating that Elle had been looking out of a living room window when the attack occurred. “The dog has shown no signs of aggression to baby Elle or, indeed, any of the occupants of that home. Baby Elle brushed against him. I find as a fact that the dog bit the head of baby Elle. Sadly, baby Elle died a short time later the same day.”
Mr. Henry added, “This is certainly a tragic incident—a family changed forever. I really don’t think there are any words that I could say to console the family of Elle, save to reiterate that my heart goes out to Elle’s parents and family.”
