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A baby mauled to death by a suspected 'pocket bully-type' dog has today been named for the first time, as an inquest hearing was told she died as a result of a head injury.
Maggie May Ann Moody was fatally attacked inside a house in Redcar, North Yorkshire, on April 9 - just a day before she would have marked her three-month milestone.
One dog was shot dead by armed police in wake of the incident, with another similar animal seized inside the semi-detached property on Hardale Drive.
Three people have been arrested by police on suspicion of being charge of a dog that was dangerously out of control.
An inquest into Maggie's death was opened and adjourned today at Middlesbrough Town Hall.
During a short two-minute hearing, Teesside area coroner Paul Appleton said the provisional cause of the baby's death was recorded as 'head injury'.
Mr Appleton told how the infant was pronounced dead at Middlesbrough's James Cook university hospital and her body identified two days later by her grandmother, Michelle Scott.
She had been born just weeks earlier on January 10 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the court was told.
Three-month-old Maggie May Ann Moody mauled to death by a suspected 'pocket bully-type' dog earlier this month
One dog was shot dead by armed police in wake of the incident, with another similar animal seized inside the semi-detached property on Hardale Drive
Residents described the dogs as ‘pocket bullys’ - a smaller type of dog from the same family as American Bullys and XL Bullys
Outlining the brief circumstances of the tragedy, Mr Appleton said: 'At 1.33pm on April 9, 2026, Cleveland police force received a 999 call from ambulance service paramedics requiring assistance at an incident in Hardale Drive in Redcar.
'The ambulance service stated that they were responding to a report of a child not breathing and the child had been attacked by a dog.
'The ambulance service provided instructions over the telephone on how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until emergency services workers arrived.
'I am told that there were two dogs present at the address.
'Initial accounts provided to my officers have indicated that the dogs were originally in the rear garden but then made their way into the room where Maggie was located.'
A 31-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of child neglect and being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing death.
A 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing death.
A 45-year-old man had earlier also been arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, causing injury resulting in death.
All three have since been bailed pending further police enquiries.
Mr Appleton adjourned the inquest to a future date, pending the progress of police investigations.
He told the hearing, at which no family members were present: 'I understand that there are ongoing investigations being performed by Cleveland police force.
"My only direction at this stage is for Cleveland Police to provide an update in due course as to the progress of their investigations and whether any criminal proceedings are to be brought.'
Locals claimed Maggie was being 'looked after by a friend' and was just visiting the street when she was attacked.
While two dogs were involved in the horror, although it remains unclear which one was responsible for the death of the little girl.
One of the animals was detained by Cleveland Police and later destroyed, while a grey and white dog of a similar or same breed was shot dead by officers at the scene.
Residents described the dogs as ‘pocket bullys’ - a smaller type of dog from the same family as American Bullys and XL Bullys.
Police have not publicly confirmed the breeds of the dogs but said they were not illegal to own.
Residents said police yelled at people to 'get in any cars or houses' as the animals ran loose.
Scarlett Calvert said: 'I was on the path behind the police tape when one of the dogs escaped. Police said to everyone just just get in anyone's cars, houses or gardens,' she said.
'Two police officers came up to me and I got put in someone's garden. The next thing I heard was a gunshot. They had already captured one of the dogs and put it in the van but then the other dog got out through a gap in the fence.'
One woman, who witnessed the moment the dog was shot, said: 'Earlier in the day, my friend had told me that a baby girl had been attacked.
'I had seen a brindle looking bully type dog running around Hardale and it wasn't until I saw all the ambulances that I thought, something is going on.
'Two hours later I came home to find the road was cordoned off and witnessed the grey and white dog get shot.'
The neighbour added: 'They had to do what they had to do, the dog was loose.
'It was awful, it was distressing, but you just want to know what's going on.'
Another local who lives on the street where the tragedy happened said: 'One of the dogs tried to attack a neighbour but she jumped in her car.
'She heard someone screaming, and she tried to help, but the dog went for her, so she had to jump back in the car.
'It's awful, absolutely awful. I don't know exactly what happened, but I would never leave a baby alone with a dog.
'It was a baby girl. She didn't live in the house. She was being looked after by a friend.
'It's absolutely tragic.'
Cleveland Police previously described the death as a ‘tragic and distressing’ incident.
In a statement, the force said: 'Shortly after 1.30pm on Thursday, April 9, police were called to Hardale Grove following concerns for a child.
'Upon arriving at the property, the child had sadly died.
'The child is believed to have died as a result of a dog bite.
'Armed officers attended and one dog was destroyed on the street while another dog at the property has been recovered by police.'
The North East Ambulance Service said at the time: 'We were called to an incident at a private address in Redcar on Thursday 9 April shortly before 1.30pm.
'We dispatched three ambulance crews, one clinical team leader and one duty officer to the incident. One patient was transported to hospital for further treatment.'
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