An eight-month-old baby is in serious condition after being attacked by an XL Bully-type dog, as two people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Emergency crews were called on Wednesday afternoon to reports that a baby had been bitten by a dog in Hawkinge near Folkestone.
Police, paramedics and an air ambulance were sent to in Kent where the baby was airlifted to a specialist London hospital to receive medical care.
The dog, identified as a registered XL Bully breed, has since been seized by police and destroyed.
Police say two people – an 18-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman – have been held on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the neighborhood, with residents expressing concern over the safety of such dogs.
A Kent Police spokesperson said: ‘Kent Police was called at 2.23pm on Wednesday to a report that an infant had been bitten by a dog inside a property on Siskin Close, Hawkinge near Folkestone.
‘Officers attended along with South East Coast Ambulance Service and an eight month old girl was airlifted to a London hospital where she remains in a serious condition.
‘The dog was seized and destroyed. An 18-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control. They remain in custody while enquiries continue.’
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Further updates on the baby’s condition and the investigation are expected in the coming days
Officers will remain in the area while enquiries are carried out and to provide reassurance to the local community.