A DEVASTATED family have paid a heartbreaking tribute to their “wonderful” 10-year-old girl who was beaten to death by XL Bully.

Savannah Bentham was attacked by the ‘new pet’ inside their caravan near Malton, North Yorks, at around 4.15pm last Friday.

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The young man had been happily playing on the swings in a nearby park just before the horror.

Savannah’s family have now issued a heartbreaking statement, released by North Yorkshire Police.

It reads: “We are totally shocked and devastated by what happened to Savannah.

“We can’t believe we’ve lost the wonderful girl we love so much.

“We thank everyone for their support and kindness as we try to come to terms with our loss.

“We ask that our family’s privacy be respected as we grieve for Savannah.”

It comes as locals described the terrifying moment the young man’s mother ran away screaming “my baby is dead”.

A gardener at a caravan park next to the mobile home – based in a utility company’s storage yard – told how the girl’s mother’s “piercing” screams were “etched into my memory”.

Keith, 67, said: “It made me. I don’t drink much, but I drank all weekend just to cover it up. I didn’t take a moment on Friday. i will never forget it.

“I just got back to the scene and saw armed police flying and helicopters 10 minutes later.

“Then I heard the screams. “My baby, my baby, my baby, my baby is dead.”

“It was a piercing scream. I’ll take it to the grave – it was so excruciating. It will haunt me until the day I die.

“I will never forget it. Those screams were terrifying.

“I knew straight away what must have happened – I said to my wife, ‘I think the dog killed the girl.’

Keith said Savannah, who attended a nearby primary school, moved into the static caravan three months ago with her mother and engineer father Brad.

He added: “They are a lovely family. A nice, hard working family with a beautiful daughter and tragedy struck.

“She was just lovely. Every time you saw her – she was running up and down on her bike, just happy and full of joy.

“The girl was here all the time, playing. She was a sweet girl, absolutely polite.

“She was a happy, energetic, intelligent 10-year-old girl. She was so bright.

“He was a diamond. He was a gem, that kid. Intelligent, chatty – he was just an angel.

“I have five daughters and I can’t imagine what the parents are going through.”

Other residents said the 10-year-old had only recently bragged to friends: “I have a new pet – an XL thug.”

Keith said he saw the animal prowling outside the family’s static home.

He added: “If it wasn’t an XL Bully then it was very similar. It was a big, muscular thing.

“The family will be criticized for keeping such a dog, but they have paid dearly.

“It’s a massive, massive mistake they’ve made and they’ll blame themselves.

“They should no longer be punished.”

Meanwhile, another neighbor said: “It’s just a terrible tragedy. It was such a sweet thing. I only know her because she used to come to the park to play.

“Everyone is totally shocked and upset about it. The family hasn’t lived here for long.

“I only knew her. I never met her mother and father.

“She would come to the park and play on the swings and I would spend time with her. She was a lovely little girl – very talkative. It’s so sad.”

Police said a bystander tried to intervene and emergency services battled to save the girl, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

A site official said: “I knew they had an XL bully dog. I only knew her because her mom asked if she could play in the park and I said “Sure she can”.

“He told us he had a new dog. It wasn’t that long ago.

“I’ve never seen or heard the dog and I’m here every day.”

“There have been a few incidents where people have seen the dog come up to the yard gate without a muzzle or a lead and that was a bit scary.

“She was like, ‘We’ve got a new pet.’

Tributes poured in on social media for the young man. One woman posted on Facebook: “Such sad news. My heart goes out to the family.”

Another said: “Rest in peace miss, condolences to all involved.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “The 10-year-old girl who tragically died at home after being bitten by her family’s dog can now be named as Savannah Bentham from the Malton area.

“North Yorkshire Police were called to the incident by Yorkshire Ambulance Service at around 4.15pm on Friday (November 1, 2024).

“Savannah suffered serious injuries after being bitten by the dog.

“Despite the best efforts of paramedics and a member of the public who came to the family’s aid, the girl sadly died at the scene.

“Officers are carrying out detailed inquiries covering all aspects of the incident.

“One of the lines of inquiry is looking at the dog’s behavior to help explain, as far as possible, why it attacked the girl.

“All indications so far suggest it was out of character, with Savannah and the dog having a close and loving relationship.

“Due to the circumstances of the incident, the dog will be destroyed.

“A post-mortem examination on Savannah took place on Sunday (November 3, 2024) evening.

“An inquest is due to be opened and adjourned in the coming days.

“Our officers are continuing to support the family while inquiries continue.

“We again urge people not to speculate about the incident and to respect the family’s wish for privacy to grieve in peace.”