A 19-year-old woman has died after being attacked by a dog at a property in Essex, police said. Officers were called to an address in Dunmow on Friday evening, where they found the woman with serious injuries. She was later pronounced dead at the scene.
A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control and causing injury resulting in death. He is currently in police custody. Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said: 'I know this incident will be a shock to the local community. My thoughts, and those of us all at Essex police, are with the loved ones of the woman who died yesterday.'
Police believe the attack occurred at a property in Long Hide, in the village of Leaden Roding. The dog has been seized to ensure the scene is safe, police added. Officers will be in the area on Saturday and are appealing to the community for any further information.
According to figures obtained from freedom of information requests made by the BBC, there were 31,920 dog attacks on people recorded in England and Wales in 2024, a 2% increase from the previous year.
