Two to appear in court after baby mauled to death by dog

Molly Mae Wotherspoon (6 months) died after an American pit bull attacked her

Two people will appear in court next month after a six-month-old baby was mauled to death by an illegal dog.

Molly Mae Wotherspoon died after an American pit bull attacked her in Daventry on October 3rd last year.

Claire Riley, Molly Mae's mother, has been charged with an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act of being the owner of a dangerously out of control dog which caused injury to Molly Mae resulting in her death.

The 23-year-old has been bailed to an address in Far Cotton, Northampton, and will appear before Northampton Magistrates’ Court on September 21st.

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Molly Mae's grandmother, 54-year-old Susan Aucott, has been charged with the same offence and bailed to an address in Kettering.

She will also appear before Northampton Magistrates’ Court on the same day.

Supt Andy Cox, head of the county's operational command unit, said: "These incidents are extremely rare and it is the first time in Northamptonshire that someone has been charged with this offence.

“It took some careful consideration from experts within Crown Prosecution Service to come up with the final decision which, ultimately, sends out a clear message to the owners of these dogs . . . The events of that night were also extremely distressing for the police officers and paramedics who attended the scene and who showed great professionalism in trying to save Molly Mae’s life.”

PA