{"id":139141,"date":"2021-09-19T12:50:20","date_gmt":"2021-09-19T12:50:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=139141"},"modified":"2021-09-19T12:50:20","modified_gmt":"2021-09-19T12:50:20","slug":"boy-9-mauled-to-death-by-pitbull-while-mum-was-binging-on-cocaine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/world-news\/boy-9-mauled-to-death-by-pitbull-while-mum-was-binging-on-cocaine\/","title":{"rendered":"Boy, 9, ‘mauled to death by pitbull while mum was binging on cocaine’"},"content":{"rendered":"

A nine-year-old boy was mauled to death by a family friend's dog after being left alone in a caravan with the dog as his mum went on a cocaine binge, an inquest heard.<\/p>\n

Frankie MacRitchie, 9, received fatal head injuries after being attacked by the 99-pound American bulldog cross Staffordshire bull terrier in April 2019, Mirror reports.<\/p>\n

The schoolboy from Plymouth, had been staying in the caravan at Tencreek Holiday Park in Looe, Cornwall with his mum, Tawney Willis, and her friend Sadie Totterdell.<\/p>\n

Totterdell had rented the caravan from April 7 for a holiday and was joined by Frankie and Willis on April 11, Cornwall Coroner's Court heard.<\/p>\n

The next day Totterdell brought the dog, named Winston, to the caravan and they all went out to the park's social club before returning about midnight.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Later on, the pals joined friends in a neighbouring caravan to continue drinking, leaving Frankie with Winston.<\/p>\n

The pair got drunk and Willis also admitted taking cocaine, Truro Crown Court heard previously.<\/p>\n

Friend Cheryl Crocker said Willis left the caravan a couple of times to check on her son, and she heard screaming the first time the mum became aware of the tragedy, the inquest was told.<\/p>\n

Cheryl said: "Tawney came running in screaming. Tawney kept screaming and screaming and she needed to find Frankie's nan.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n