Great-grandmother Lucille Downer named as victim of 'sustained attack' by escaped dogs
3 April 2021, 17:49 | Updated: 4 April 2021, 10:02
Lucille Downer, 85, has been named by police as the victim of a "sustained attack" by two escaped dogs on Friday afternoon.
The great-grandmother suffered multiple injuries in the "horrific" incident on Boundary Avenue in Rowley Regis, West Midlands Police said.
In a statement her family said: "Lucille was a mother, grandmother and great- grandmother who spent her working years as a cook at Bromford House Care Home in West Bromwich.
"Lucille was born in Jamaica and emigrated to the UK in her early 20s. Since arriving in the UK, Rowley Regis has always been her home and her family will miss her dearly."
The owner of the two dogs, a 43-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of being the person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing death. He has been released on conditional bail pending further inquiries.
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On Saturday morning the property remained sealed off, with police vans seen at the scene.
Messages and flowers have been left on Ms Downer's drive, with one reading "RIP Nan".
Neighbours rushed to the aid of Ms Downer at around 3.20pm on Friday, but she was sadly confirmed dead at the scene soon afterwards, police said.
Police said the animals had escaped a neighbouring property through a hole in the fence before the attack.
They were tranquillised and taken by police to a nearby kennels where they are being tested to determine their breed.
Speaking at a press conference outside West Bromwich Police Station on Saturday, Superintendent Phil Asquith said he could not speculate on the breed of the dogs, but that they were "large".
"The DNA samples have to be taken to determine the specific breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act (to see if) they are specific breeds that are banned - and I can't speculate as to whether or not they are banned dogs," he added.
Police have urged anyone with information, who has not already spoken to officers, to get in contact via Live Chat or 101 quoting log 2501 of 2/4/21.
