A four-month-old baby was snatched from his mum’s arms by the family dog and savaged to death.
Archie Joe Darby died after being bitten by the animal at his aunt’s house in the Southeastern British town of Colchester.
A post-mortem investigation revealed Archie died of severe head injuries consistent with a dog attack, a hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court heard.
His 22-month-old brother Daniel-Jay suffered life-changing injuries and the boys’ mum suffered minor injuries.
Coroner’s officer David Dinnell said: “Archie Darby was a four-month-old baby being held in his mother’s arms when he was taken out of her arms by the family dog and attacked.”
An ambulance was called and CPR was attempted but Archie was pronounced dead at the scene at 4.02pm.
A post-mortem examination was carried out at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London on October 19 and gave the provisional medical cause of death as severe head injuries.
His body has yet to be released.
Essex Police said the dog, believed to be a Staffordshire bull terrier-type, was put down with the consent of its owner.
The dog belonged to Archie’s aunt, who has been named in reports as Clare Ferdinand, 31, a serving Essex Police officer.
Police are not treating the incident as a criminal investigation.