'Murder' victim mauled to death by her dog

A woman believed to have been murdered was savaged to death by her dobermann while she was suffering a fit, a post-mortem examination showed yesterday.

A woman believed to have been murdered was savaged to death by her dobermann while she was suffering a fit, a post-mortem examination showed yesterday.

Kirsty Ross was discovered with throat wounds in her home in Helston, Cornwall, on Tuesday and police first thought she had been killed by a knifeman.

But a pathologist said the fatal wounds were consistent with dog bites. Mrs Ross's 22-month-old daughter, who was in the same room, was found unharmed.

Neighbours heard the dobermann barking on Tuesday evening. Margery Paul said: "I have seen the dog out with them only once in the last year or two. It was always indoors.It was a dreadful shock when we heard the girl died."

"I told the police I was watching TV and went to bed and it was my daughter who lives a few miles away who rang [this] morning and told me a young woman had died in the street [where I live]. It is a quiet neighbourhood."

A friend said Mrs Ross, her boyfriend and their baby were a nice family. "She was a lovely girl, always smiling and friendly," he said. "She would do anything for anyone - they both would - and their little girl is lovely too. She was always playing or eating sweets whenever I saw her."

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "It's highly likely the lady suffered a fit and was bitten by the dobermann during or after the fit."

The senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Stuart Newberry, is visiting the relatives to explain what had happened.