- Lexi Branson attacked by pet bulldog at home in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
- Animal is said to have pounced and shook four-year-old 'like a rag doll'
- Her mother Jodie Hudson stabbed the dog in brave attempt to save her
- She was later heard saying she had been told dog was safe around children
- Family have paid tribute to Lexi who will be their 'shining star in the sky'
- Friends say animal may have been spooked by firework exploding nearby
'Shining star': The family of Lexi Branson (pictured, above, with the dog which attacked her) have said the four-year-old will never be forgotten
Lexi Branson was killed by the rehomed stray after it 'suddenly turned' on her in the lounge of her home while she was off school because she was poorly.
Her mother Jodie Hudson was forced to stab the animal in order to free her daughter as she was shaken 'like a rag doll' after the dog pounced.
Moments after the attack the 30-year-old was seen running into the street screaming and covered in blood.
Family friend Paul Ryan said the dog had been picked up from a rescue centre two months ago by Miss Hudson, who thought it had ‘a very soft nature’.
He said Miss Hudson was 'in hysterics' after the attack and she kept saying that she had been told the dog was safe around children, the Daily Mirror reported.
Mr Ryan said: 'Apparently it suddenly turned on Lexi for no reason.'
He said the dog 'just went mental' adding: 'It grabbed Lexi and wouldn’t let go.
'Jodie was screaming and trying to pull its head away but it wouldn’t give in. In the end she had to use a knife to release its jaw. It must have been absolutely terrifying.'
Lexi's family today described her as 'our shining star in the sky' who 'will never be forgotten'.
In a statement released by the police today, Lexi's mother and her grandmother Kerry Hudson said: 'There’s been a tragedy in the family. Lexi was a bubbly, bright little girl.
'She fought for her life from the moment she was born as she was born 3 months prematurely, she’s been taken from us so tragically.
'She will be sadly missed, she will be our shining star in the sky and she we will never be forgotten.
'We would ask that the media leave the family and friends to grieve in peace at this sad time and not approach us.'
Attack: Lexi was understood to have been poorly at home when the dog (pictured right) suddenly pounced
Stray: Leicester City Council have confirmed a dog warden took the dog off the streets and handed it into the kennels before Miss Hudson took it in
The bulldog, which was a stray called Mulan, was adopted by the family two months ago. It came from Willow Tree Kennels which is attached to Orchard Kennels and Cattery.
Leicester City Council yesterday confirmed a dog warden took the dog off the streets and handed it into the kennels before Jodi took it in.
Leicestershire Police today confirmed the dog was a bulldog, which is not listed under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act, and stressed officers were not treating the incident as a criminal investigation.
Detective Superintendent David Sandall said the force were investigating the case on behalf of the coroner.
Officers are investigating the history of the bulldog - which was aged between six and eight years.
Det Supt Sandall said: 'There had been no previous incidents reported to police at this address. No other animals were in the house at the time.
'Never forgotten': Lexi's family have said the four-year-old will be 'sadly missed' and will 'never be forgotten'
Floral tribute: Police place down flowers near the home of Lexi Branson after she died when she was attacked by a dog
Flowers lie outside the house where four year old Lexi Branson died after being attacked by her pet dog
They also said Miss Hudson - who is at a relative's address with police family liaison officers - was not bitten by the dog.
Leicester City Council confirmed the dog was found wandering in a park in August before being taken to the kennels.
A council spokesman said: 'Like all councils, we have a duty to collect stray dogs reported to us, and we employ dog wardens to do this.
'We have a contract with Willow Tree Rehoming Centre to provide kennelling for these stray dogs for the statutory seven day period.
Tragic: Lexi Branson was attacked at her flat in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, with neighbours saying they heard the screams of her mother Jodie, 30, who emerged from the house with blood and mud on her
Horror: Witnesses say Jodie (pictured with Lexi, left) stabbed the dog in a bid to save her daughter
'If the dog remains unclaimed after seven days, ownership of the animal is passed onto the contractors, who then take responsibility for rehoming the dog or putting it down.
'This particular dog was picked up from a local park as a stray and handed over to the kennels in August.
'The police are notified of any dogs suspected of being dangerous or on the list of prohibited breeds, and these are not considered for rehoming.'
Police have also confirmed Jodie stabbed the dog to death in a brave bid to save her daughter.
Det Supt Sandall, who is overseeing the investigation, said: 'This is a very tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Lexi at this extremely difficult time.
'The flat remains cordoned off to allow for a forensic examination and we are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragic death of Lexi and this will include the history of the dog.
'The dog is a bulldog which is not a breed listed under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act.
'The family have understandably been left devastated by the events of yesterday.'
Friends last night claimed the animal may have been spooked by a firework exploding nearby.
It is understood Lexi started at school in September, but had stayed at home in the one-bedroom flat in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, yesterday because she was poorly.
Police said the dog attacked Lexi when she was in the lounge of the ground-floor flat she shared with her mother.
Miss Hudson spotted the attack within seconds and stabbed the animal to death with a kitchen knife.
The youngster was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham where she later died.
Arthur Nash, a 67-year-old retired driver, said: ‘I saw Jodie after it happened. She was stood in the car park covered in blood.
'Apparently she stabbed the dog to death. I held her hand for a little while but she was totally gone. She just wasn’t with it. She was in complete and utter shock.’
Miss Hudson is thought to have worked at a law firm in Leicester before having a child.
Neighbours said she was estranged from Lexi’s father and ‘doted’ on her daughter, who had been born three months premature.
In April last year she joined a website where members can buy and sell dogs, using the username ‘Lexismommy’.
Glennis Goddard, 68, said: 'It is such a shocking thing that has happened.'
She said she saw Lexi with her mother and the dog 'just the other day' and said the animal 'seemed fine.'
She said: 'I have a couple of cats and Lexi would come to the window and ask if they were mine, she was so friendly and such a pretty little girl.
'The police told me there had been an incident but wouldn't say what and taped up the property.
'I'm so upset that she's gone, and I can't believe something like this could happen on my doorstep, she will be sadly missed.'
Residents said the ground-floor flat where Lexi died is owned by a housing association, which prohibits tenants from keeping dogs.
Leicestershire Police said nobody had been arrested in connection with the offence but an investigation continues.
'This particular dog was picked up from a local park as a stray and handed over to the kennels in August.
'The police are notified of any dogs suspected of being dangerous or on the list of prohibited breeds, and these are not considered for rehoming.'
Det Supt Sandall, who is overseeing the investigation, said: 'This is a very tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Lexi at this extremely difficult time.
'The flat remains cordoned off to allow for a forensic examination and we are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragic death of Lexi and this will include the history of the dog.
'The dog is a bulldog which is not a breed listed under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act.
'The family have understandably been left devastated by the events of yesterday.'
Friends last night claimed the animal may have been spooked by a firework exploding nearby.
It is understood Lexi started at school in September, but had stayed at home in the one-bedroom flat in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, yesterday because she was poorly.
Police said the dog attacked Lexi when she was in the lounge of the ground-floor flat she shared with her mother.
Miss Hudson spotted the attack within seconds and stabbed the animal to death with a kitchen knife.
The youngster was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham where she later died.
Arthur Nash, a 67-year-old retired driver, said: ‘I saw Jodie after it happened. She was stood in the car park covered in blood.
Scene: Police remain at the scene in in Mountsorrell, Leicestershire, while investigations continue into the incident
Tests: Police had to carry out tests to confirm the breed of the dog
Miss Hudson is thought to have worked at a law firm in Leicester before having a child.
Neighbours said she was estranged from Lexi’s father and ‘doted’ on her daughter, who had been born three months premature.
In April last year she joined a website where members can buy and sell dogs, using the username ‘Lexismommy’.
Glennis Goddard, 68, said: 'It is such a shocking thing that has happened.'
She said she saw Lexi with her mother and the dog 'just the other day' and said the animal 'seemed fine.'
Killed: Lexi, four, is pictured with a French mastiff. Police have confirmed this is not the dog that attacked her
Hospital: The girl was taken to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham but doctors could not save her
'She will be sadly missed, she will be our shining star in the sky and she we will never be forgotten'
- Lexi's mother Jodie and grandmother Kerry
'I can't believe what has happened. I saw lots of commotion at around noon, but I didn't hear anything.- Lexi's mother Jodie and grandmother Kerry
'The police told me there had been an incident but wouldn't say what and taped up the property.
'I'm so upset that she's gone, and I can't believe something like this could happen on my doorstep, she will be sadly missed.'
Residents said the ground-floor flat where Lexi died is owned by a housing association, which prohibits tenants from keeping dogs.
Leicestershire Police said nobody had been arrested in connection with the offence but an investigation continues.
Rehomed: Orchard Kennels and Cattery, in Barrow-upon-Soar, confirmed that the family had got the dog from them
Investigation: A spokesman for the kennel said he could not comment any further while the police investigation was continuing
The housing association said to own Miss Hudson’s ground-floor flat, Birmingham-based Friendship Care and Housing, was unavailable for comment.
The incident comes after Beverley Concannon, 45, was last month given a suspended sentence after four of her dogs savaged a 14-year-old to death.
Two American bull mastiffs and a pair of pit bulls killed Jade Lomas-Anderson at a house in Greater Manchester.
Government have 'no plans to change the list of banned breeds' after legal dogs claim third victim in a year
The Government will not consider broadening the list of dogs banned in the Dangerous Dogs Act after legal dogs claimed their third victim in a year.Lexi Branson was mauled to death despite the desperate attempts of her mother Jodie Hudson to halt the attack at their flat in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.
Police confirmed the animal was a bulldog, which is not a breed banned under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Lexi's death comes after 14-year-old Jade Anderson was mauled by four dogs, one of which was described as a 'mastiff-type' breed by police, while visiting a friend in Wigan in March.
Jade Anderson was mauled by four dogs, one of which was described as a 'mastiff-type' breed by police, while visiting a friend in Wigan in March
A bull mastiff-cross fatally mauled 79-year-old Clifford Clarke in May. The retired hospital porter suffered fatal injuries after being bitten by a dog that had found its way into his garden from a neighbouring house.
The Dangerous Dogs Act, introduced in 1991 following a spate of serious attacks, specifically outlaws only the pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro breeds.
The latter two breeds are mastiffs of Brazilian and Argentinian descent, but the larger French iterations and bull-crosses have thus far been permitted.
A bull mastiff-cross fatally mauled 79-year-old Clifford Clarke in May
A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), speaking in response to yesterday's attack, said there were 'no plans to change the list of banned breeds' despite other reforms being considered by Parliament.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announced last week that people responsible for dangerous dogs involved in fatal attacks could face up to 14 years in prison and unlimited fines. However, police said they were not treating Lexi's death as a criminal investigation.
The measures are contained within a draft Bill that is expected to become law next year, but Defra said changes to the banned list would not be considered.
Animal Welfare Minister Lord de Mauley said of the crackdown on owners: 'It is right that the punishments of those who allow their dog to kill or injure people or assistance dogs are proportionate to the horrendous impact attacks can have.
'We're toughening up laws to ensure anyone who owns a dangerous dog can be brought to justice. We're also giving local authorities and the police new powers to take action before a dog attack takes place.'
The 1991 Act has been regularly criticised as ineffective and too narrow. A report by the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee in February said the law had 'comprehensively failed to tackle irresponsible ownership', adding that the ban on mastiffs may need to be broadened.
The report concluded: 'During our visit to the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home we heard that fashions for some breeds, such as mastiff types, had led to increased numbers of aggressive dogs being imported or bred which were of types not covered by the section 1 ban.
'The Association of Chief Police Officers also noted that the current list of banned types might need to be added to at some point (for example, to add dogs such as mastiffs and crossbreeds).'
Anne McIntosh, the committee's chairwoman, said: 'My initial reaction is obviously that as soon as we adopt the new provisions in the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, the public will be reassured.
Campaign: Angela McGlynn, whose four-year-old son died after he was savaged by a mastiff-cross, said Lexi's death had raised the need for tougher controls
'We are really interested in some preventive measures to stop future tragedies. We took evidence that said the list of banned breeds should be kept under review, but if you're too proscriptive people will just go for another breed.
'We are focussing on deed not breed - that is the behaviour of the dog. If you make the list too proscriptive, evil people will find a way round it. The (Section 1) list will never be enough. Yes, have a banned list for guidance, but it can be too proscriptive.
'We should be asking whether the dog has been badly treated and that speaks more to the owner than to the breed. It should be kept under review, but I honestly believe that the list can be too proscriptive.'
Angela McGlynn, mother of four-year-old John-Paul Massey, who died in Liverpool in November 2009 after he was savaged by his uncle's mastiff-cross, said Lexi's death had raised the need for tougher controls.
'It brings everything back - straight back to day one all over again," she told ITV Daybreak. "I would like to send out my sincere sympathies to Lexi's family because I know exactly what they are going through.'
She renewed her calls for all dogs to be muzzled around children under 12.
'My campaign is to raise pet awareness, to let people know that these family pets do just turn the way they do and it's not just about breed, or just the dogs on the dangerous dogs list,' she said.
'The Government are putting some steps in place... but we can't just rely on the Government - parents and adults have to take steps too.'
Dog trainer Ryan O'Meara called for greater education of owners, saying dogs could not be muzzled all the time and restricting dogs could increase aggression.
He said all dogs could be potentially dangerous and added that the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act - which he described as 'knee-jerk legislation' - gave the impression that some breeds were not dangerous.
'Unfortunately I think a lot of the problem is that people don't understand that all dogs are capable of biting,' he said.
'A dog can't wear a muzzle all the time and if you restrict a dog in any way you can actually increase aggression. I would say to the Government that has had the Dangerous Dogs Act, you need to focus on compulsory education of all dog owners because we can avoid tragedies like this.'
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