My 17-month-old girl was mauled to death by American Bully we bought a week earlier - now I want to help families through child loss and raise awareness of dog attacks
- Bella-Rae Birch was killed by a American Bully XL in St Helens in March last year
- Her bereft mother Treysharn Bates has vowed to help other grieving families
A heartbroken mother whose baby daughter was mauled to death in a dog attack a year ago has vowed to help other families battling with the trauma of losing a child.
Bella-Rae Birch was just 17 months old when an American Bully XL mauled her to death at her home in St Helens, Merseyside, on March 21 last year.
The dog had been bought by her father 'for buttons' just one week earlier and was 'humanely destroyed' following the shocking incident, Merseyside Police said.
Bella-Rae's mother Treysharn Bates was present when the attack happened and she frantically rushed to try to save her baby.
Ms Bates is now on a mission to try to help other families who have lost children and also raise awareness of dog attacks.
Bella-Rae Birch was mauled to death by an American Bully dog which had been bought by her father Ryan just a week earlier
Treysharn Bates, picture with her daughter Bella-Rae and partner Ryan Birch, has vowed to help other families struggling after the loss of a child
'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,' Ms Bates said.
'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 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.'
The horrific accident took place after the family's dog snatched Bella-Rae out of her mother's arms.
Ms Bates' partner and Bella-Rae's father, Ryan, 25, was also there during the incident.
The grieving mother says she cannot remember much from the attack as she 'blacked out' while screaming for help.
When she was finally able to get hold of Bella-Rae, Ms Bates rang an ambulance and ran into the garden.
She said: 'I don't remember much from the attack as I blacked out, me and Ryan did everything we could for it to end immediately.
'I rang an ambulance and then ran outside with Bella-Rae, I blacked out screaming for help.
'The neighbours rushed too over to help but it was too late, I wouldn't let go of Bella-Rae until paramedics arrived.
'Bella-Rae was taken in the ambulance with Ryan as they said I was too erratic but Bella-Rae had already passed away by then.
'My beautiful girl gained her wings at 3.50pm, on March 21, 2022, at home with me, but was pronounced dead at the hospital.'
Neighbours previously told MailOnline that Bella-Rae's father Ryan Birch allegedly bought the dog – a brown American XL Bully breed – from a friend a week ago, and 'was intending to stud it out for puppies for £2,000 each' (stock image)
Ms Bates says Bella-Rae was a happy little girl who made her life complete
Bella Rae, pictured with her parents, died after being attacked by the dog at her home in St Helen's, Merseyside, on March 21 last year
Merseyside Police confirmed the killer dog was not on the banned breed list (Pictured: Aerial view of home)
Ms Bates says Bella-Rae was a happy little girl who made her fulfilled.
READ MORE: PARENTS OF GIRL, 14, KILLED BY PACK OF DOGS A DECADE AGO DEMAND NEW LEGAL CRACKDOWN
She said: 'My life was complete, I had a little boy and now I had my little girl and everything was perfect.
'Bella-Rae was a happy, energetic, clever 17-month-old baby.
'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.'
According to Ms Bates, the family had been given the dog a week before the incident and had made sure that it was safe for the children.
No legal proceedings took place as Bella-Rae was not on her own when the attack happened and the dog wasn't banned under the Dangerous Dog Act.
Now, a year after her loss, Ms Bates is sharing Bella-Rae's story with the hopes of helping other parents who are battling with child loss.
She also wants to set up a charity in her daughter's name to raise more awareness of dog attacks.
Ms Bates said: 'I want to help other families in our position as we felt very isolated and judged when this attack happened.
'The purpose of the charity will be to talk and advocate and help people through these tragedies.
'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.
'Bella was never left alone and nothing made the dog snap. This was just a freak accident that caused my daughter to lose her life.'
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