British Woman Mauled to Death by Family Dog May Have Been Spooked by Her Seizure

Kelly Reilly
Kelly Reilly GoFundMe

A British woman was killed in a vicious attack by her family's dog, officials said.

On Monday, July 22, at about 12:15 p.m., police officers and paramedics responded to a call about a dog attack at a property on Wexford Road in Coventry, in central England, where they found Kelly Reilly, 33, in critical condition, according to a statement from the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

"The woman was rapidly removed from the property due to safety concerns," the statement read. Paramedics on the scene tried to revive Reilly by performing advanced life support but were unable to save the woman, who succumbed to her injuries. No one else was injured in the attack.

Authorities seized the dog, which was determined to be an American Bulldog, West Midlands Police said. "The death has been reported to the coroner and we'll assist them with their enquiries into Kelly's sad death," the police statement further noted.

A GoFundMe has since been set up for Kelly by her sister, Serena Parnell, to help the family cover funeral costs. In the description of the fundraiser, Parnell noted that Kelly was suffering from epilepsy and the family believes she had a seizure that "spooked" the family pet, leading the canine to attack her.

Parnell described Kelly as having a "big heart" and willing to do anything for anyone. Kelly "will be sadly missed by her family and friends," she wrote. Authorities are still investigating the incident.

READ MORE