'This can happen to anybody': Mom of baby girl mauled to death by dog offers support to grieving families
MERSEYSIDE, ENGLAND: A devastated mother of a 17-month-old baby girl, who was viciously mauled to death by an American bully, has committed to helping other families struggling with similar trauma. An American Bully mauled Treysharn Bates’ daughter Bella-Rae Birch to death at her home in St Helens, Merseyside on March 21, 2022.
Treysharn was present in the room when the incident took place as she frantically hurried to save her baby. Bella-Rae was immediately rushed to the local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Following the incident, officials "humanely destroyed" the dog, whom Birch’s father had bought just one week before, Merseyside Police said. Now, a year later, Bates has started a campaign to help other families who have lost children and also to raise awareness about dog attacks.
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‘I miss Bella-Rae every day ’
"As a mother, losing a child is the worst thing that can ever happen, but watching a life be snatched away in such awful circumstances is soul-destroying," Bates said, according to Daily Mail. "I miss Bella-Rae every day and I still haven't come to terms with what's happened. I just think she's sleeping over at the nanny's house. I haven't accepted anything yet and I don't think I ever want to, but I have to stay strong for my little boy who still needs his mummy."
Bella-Rae's father, Ryan, 25, was also present when the family's dog snatched her out of her mother's arms. The distraught mother claims she 'blacked out' while crying for help during the attack and cannot recall much of it. "I rang an ambulance and then ran outside with Bella-Rae, I blacked out screaming for help. The neighbors rushed too over to help but it was too late, I wouldn't let go of Bella-Rae until paramedics arrived," she continued.
‘This can happen to anybody'
As per Bates, Bella-Rae died at around 3.50 pm in their house but was pronounced dead at the hospital. "My life was complete, I had a little boy and now I had my little girl and everything was perfect," Bates said while describing Bella-Rae as a happy little girl who made her fulfilled. "Bella-Rae was a happy, energetic, clever 17-month-old baby." The devastated mother added, "She loved music, dancing, singing, and food, she was a brilliant eater for her age. She could have a full conversation with you, count to 15, and knew mostly all nursery rhymes and words to songs that I listened to."
While aiming to help other parents, Bates wants to set up a charity in her daughter's name to raise awareness about dog attacks. "I want to help other families in our position as we felt very isolated and judged when this attack happened," she said. "Bella-Rae's name would be out there helping families rather than being known as the toddler who died of a dog attack. I don't want my daughter known as the baby who got mauled, she was more than that. I wish people would understand that this can happen to anybody, no matter what type of breed."