Croydon girl, 5, suffers life-changing injuries after dog 'bit chunk out of her cheek'

A girl from Croydon suffered life-changing injuries when a dog pinned her down and tore at her face.

Elsie, 5, was playing with her friends outside her home in New Addington when the Staffordshire bull terrier attacked her, leaving her with wounds needing three lots of surgery and more to come in the future.

Elsie's mum, Kirsty, 29, said that as well as her physical injuries, Elsie has been left traumatised.

"She doesn't want to go out, particularly on public transport because she doesn't want people to stare at her," Kirsty said.

She hasn't been back to school since because she doesn't want her friends to see her like this," she added.

The attack took place in September while Elsie and her sister Amelia, 9, were playing with friends.

Kirsty was watching from inside when a dog was released into the area without a lead or muzzle on and charged directly at Elsie.

The children ran to a wall and climbed to safety but Elsie fell over as they ran which meant the dog was able to grab her by the face.

Kirsty said the attack only lasted minutes but it felt like a lifetime.

"I can remember the feeling of panic, seeing the dog on her face. I can't get that image out of my head," she said.

Kirsty rushed to her daughter and put her on her shoulder so the dog couldn't get to her.

'Blood everywhere'

She said the dog continued to jump at Elsie until they reached the safety of another neighbour's house.

"There was blood everywhere and a chunk of her face was wide open. A chunk of her cheek was hanging off and you could see inside her nose through the bridge of her nose," Kirsty said.

"In the ambulance she was trying to fall asleep but the paramedics were talking to her to try to keep her conscious. She turned to me at one point and said 'Mummy it's OK but I've got to go, I've got to close my eyes now.'"

Elsie was taken to St George's Hospital where she had to undergo surgery.

Since then, she has been under the knife again and her parents have been told she'll be seeing a surgeon for the rest of her life.

Police have seized the dog and another belonging to the same owner. They remain in police kennels.

A 56-year-old woman was interviewed under caution but no arrests have been made so far.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said their enquiries are ongoing.

Croydon Council is taking action to move Elsie and her family to a different house but for the time being they are met with daily reminders of the horror which took place.

Kirsty said: "It's very hard coming in and out of our home, seeing where they used to play. Every time I open the door it's right there.

"I can't look at the place where it happened, I can't put the bins out. The kids find it hard to come in and out, I have to carry Elsie and her older sister in every time.

"It's been catastrophic for our whole family. My partner, my kids, everyone is in counselling. We're all just traumatised."

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