KEY POINTS

  • A negligent mother was jailed after she left her 9-year-old son with a dog that they do not own
  • The boy was mauled to death where he suffering 54 bites from the vicious dog
  • While the attack on the boy was happening, the mother was partying in the dog owner's house

Tawnee Willis, the 31-year-old mother of Frankie Macritchie who was mauled to death by a dog, was put to jail after admitting negligence of a minor. Court documents show that Willis left her son with the dog while she partied with friends inside the house.

Invited To A Party

According to Yahoo News, Willis was invited to a party by 29-year-old Sadie Totterdell in her place at the Tencreek Holiday Park in Looe, Cornwall. Totterdell is the owner of the dog.

Witnesses said that, aside from Willis, there were several guests at the party and they reportedly took drugs, which included cocaine. They may have been unaware of what is happening with Frankie and the dog, according to authorities.

American bulldog mauls a boy to death while his mother partied
American bulldog mauls a boy to death while his mother partied B Wills - Pixabay

Bitten Several Times

A post-mortem examination showed that Frankie suffered 54 bites from the dog named Winston. He reportedly bled to death from the injuries sustained. The medical examiner revealed that the young boy was bitten on his chest, face, and neck.

A part of his scalp tissue was gone and one of his ears was almost severed. A huge wound measuring 15cm by 14cm was also found on his head. The medical examiner also reported that Frankie tried to defend himself from what appeared to be very vicious attacks.

A History Of Disobedience

Truro Crown Court, the tribunal that heard the case, found that the dog had a history of disobedience and had already bitten several children before. Totterdell, the dog’s owner, pleaded guilty as the owner and in charge of a dog that has gone out of control which caused injury resulting in death. She was sentenced to three years in jail.

For neglecting a young person and causing needless suffering, Willis received a jail term of two years.

“You left Frankie with the dog, Winston. This was a strong and powerful dog. It was a dog that Frankie knew but was not a family dog," Judge Robert Lindford told Willis.

The judge added the scene that Willis discovered in the morning will, undoubtedly, haunt her for the rest of her life. “It can only be classed as grossly negligent,” Judge Lindford said.

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