A two-year-old Australian boy has been mauled to death by a mastiff cross dog at his grandmother's house.
The attack happened on Sunday afternoon at Deniliquin in New South Wales when the boy reportedly went outside to get an ice-cream from a back fridge and the family pet followed him.
The boy has been named by local media as Deeon Higgins. The dog, called Kingston according to reports, is thought to have belonged to his 24-year-old cousin.
It is not clear what sparked the attack. The toddler's mother and grandmother both desperately tried to pull the dog off the child but to no avail, with the boy suffering severe head and facial injuries.
"The child's grandmother, aged 70, intervened but, was unable to release the child. The child's mother arrived and fought the dog off the boy," police said in a statement.
"He and his grandmother were taken to Deniliquin Hospital ... but he died a short time later. The older woman has been treated for exhaustion, bruising and abrasions."
The dog, not usually considered a dangerous breed, was captured and put down.
Detective Inspector Darren Cloak of Deniliquin Police said the family and residents were "shocked" and "distraught" by the death.
"The community will be saddened by this, it's a tragic set of circumstances," he said.
A family spokesman told the Sydney Morning Herald that the family were devastated by what had happened.
"We have lost a gorgeous little boy who we all loved so much," the newspaper was told.
New South Wales state premier Barry O'Farrell said he would review regulations covering dangerous dogs, while Prime Minister Kevin Rudd vowed to give any support needed.
