Vigil held for 'happy little girl', 4, mauled to death by pet dog as family 'still coming to terms with' tragedy
1 February 2023, 20:26 | Updated: 1 February 2023, 20:34
Friends, family and local residents have gathered in memory of a four-year-old girl who died after a dog attack in the back garden of a home in Milton Keynes.
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Alice Stones was attacked in her back garden in Milton Keynes on Tuesday evening before armed police killed the dog. Thames Valley Police confirmed that it was a family pet.
A vigil took place at Grand Union Vineyard Church, located across the road from where the attack happened, on Wednesday.
Prayers were said for Alice and her family as people gathered, holding candles, in the darkness in a green space at the back of the place of worship.
Around 100 people turned out as songs played out through speakers, including Amazing Grace and Over The Rainbow.
Donna Fuller, a ward councillor for Woughton Community Council, said the area has a "tight-knit community, predominantly families".
She said the vigil was to "enable the community to come together and draw strength from each other".
She added: "It will send a strong message to the family that we are thinking of them."
Neighbour Rita Matthews, 36, said she would see the child while walking her own daughter to school and described the youngster as a "happy little girl, very happy".
Among the floral tributes left to the youngster, one of them read: "Alice!! Fly high with the angels little one. The whole community will miss your smile. Our thoughts are with the whole family, especially her mum."
Councillor Fuller told gathered crowds: "This family will need the time and space to allow them to process this tragic event and I hope that we can do that and help them in the future.
"I would ask that we support each other. There is a feeling of deep sadness that we will feel as a community so I ask you to be neighbourly and I ask you to be supportive and most of all I ask you to be kind."
Neighbours were devastated at the news of her death and described the horrifying moment they heard her mother's screams.
"We heard desperate screams last night. I heard 'she's dead! She’s dead!' one resident told The Sun.
"It sounded like Louise shouting. They were piercing screams.
"It's horrendous. Alice goes to school with my children. It's so upsetting. The police rushed here very quickly. I could not believe it."
No arrests have been made in connection with the attack.
In an update on Wednesday, Superintendent Marc Tarbit said: "The child's family are being supported by specially-trained officers and we'd ask that their privacy is respected.
"An investigation is currently under way to fully understand the circumstances but we currently believe that this was a tragic, isolated incident and there is no threat to the wider community.
"Accordingly, no arrests have been made at this time. "I can confirm that the dog was a family pet and was put down by police on the scene yesterday evening."
Officers are working to establish the breed of the dog.
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Superintendent Matt Bullivant previously said: "This is an absolutely tragic incident, in which we believe that a child has been killed after being attacked by a dog.
"Clearly, we are in the very early stages of an investigation, and it would be wrong and unhelpful to speculate as to the exact circumstances of this incident at this point."
He added: "I understand how much of an impact this will have on the community and on the wider public, and people can expect to see a large police presence in the area this evening and beyond while our investigation continues.
"I would like to reassure people that there is no reason to believe there is any danger to the wider public at this time.
"Anyone with concerns should feel free to approach our officers and ask questions, but I urge people not to speculate about the circumstances, especially on social media platforms.
"I also understand that this case is likely to attract attention from the media. With this in mind I would like to ask that the privacy of the family involved is respected at this very difficult time. It is impossible to imagine what they must be going through at the moment.
"We will provide further updates when we are in a position to do so."
