10-Year-Old Girl Dies After Being Bitten by Family Dog in 'Out-of-Character' Attack

North Yorkshire Police in England said the girl and the dog had a "close, loving relationship"

A 10-year-old girl in the U.K. has died after she was attacked by her family's dog.

According to a press release from the North Yorkshire Police in England, the girl was at home in the town of Malton around 4:15 p.m. local time on Friday, Nov. 1, when Yorkshire Ambulance Service responded to reports of a dog attack.

According to police, one of the girl's family members "secured" the dog inside a car after the attack, and officers seized the animal when they arrived. The dog was later placed in a "secure kennel."

North Yorkshire Police said that "despite the efforts of medical professionals and a member of the public who came to the family’s aid, tragically, the girl died at the scene after suffering serious injuries."

Although police said on Sunday that the dog is set to be "destroyed" following the girl's death, the question of why the animal bit her still remains. "All indications so far suggest it was out-of-character, with the girl and dog having a close, loving relationship," police said in the release.

"One of the lines of enquiry relates to the behaviour of the dog to help explain, as far as possible, why it attacked the girl," police added.

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The girl has not been publicly identified, but coroners were set to conduct an autopsy on Sunday, Nov. 3, police added. The breed of the dog has not been released.

"We urge people not to speculate about the incident and to respect the family’s wish for privacy to grieve in peace," the release concluded. "Our officers are continuing to support the family while enquiries continue."

CBS News reported in February that the number of dog attacks in the U.K. has been on the rise. Before 2021, the country averaged about three fatal dog attacks per year, but in the years since, the U.K. has seen at least 23 attacks annually.