A four-year-old girl has died after a dog attack in Milton Keynes.
Officers were called by the ambulance service shortly after 5pm on Tuesday after a report that a dog had attacked a child in the back garden of a property in Broadlands, Netherfield.
Officers remain at the scene, where the dog has since been humanely destroyed.
No one else was hurt as a result of the incident, and the child’s family are being supported by specially trained officers.
No arrests have been made in connection with this investigation.
Superintendent Matt Bullivant said: “This is an absolutely tragic incident, in which we believe that a child has been killed after being attacked by a dog.
“Clearly, we are in the very early stages of an investigation, and it would be wrong and unhelpful to speculate as to the exact circumstances of this incident at this point.
“However, in order to ensure public safety, a decision was made earlier this evening to destroy the dog involved, and this has been done humanely.
“I understand how much of an impact this will have on the community and on the wider public, and people can expect to see a large police presence in the area this evening and beyond while our investigation continues.
“I would like to reassure people that there is no reason to believe there is any danger to the wider public at this time.
“Anyone with concerns should feel free to approach our officers and ask questions, but I urge people not to speculate about the circumstances, especially on social media platforms.”