Annalyse Blyton, 17, has died after suffering catastrophic injuries in a dog attack at a friend's home in Singleton in New South Wales' Hunter Valley, police said. The animal was shot dead by officers at the scene and an investigation is under way.
Bystanders attempted to pull the teenager from the dog as it attacked her on Thursday, and she was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle in a critical condition. Police revealed on Monday that she had succumbed to her injuries.
Acting Superintendent Justin Cornes said emergency services were confronted with "quite a confronting scene" when they arrived. He said the dog was inside a fenced yard at the time of the attack and that the animal's owners were cooperating with police, describing the behaviour as "out of character." Singleton Council rangers assisted officers at the scene.
The dog, a 10-year-old mixed-breed described in media reports as a Boxer-bull and Irish wolfhound cross named Bear, was shot by police with the owners' consent. A report will be prepared for the coroner, Cornes said.
The owner posted a video tribute on Instagram after the dog was killed that did not mention Blyton. "It wasn't your fault or hers IDK why you had to do what you did. It's not fair. I just wish I was there," the owner wrote beneath the post, adding, "I miss you, my bear boi."
Blyton's family issued appeals for her to recover during the days after the attack. Her mother, Lauren Dening, publicly thanked first responders and hospital staff and urged her daughter to "fight with everything you have." The attack has left the tight-knit Hunter Valley community shaken.
Cornes praised members of the public who intervened during the incident. "Running into a scene without knowing the full circumstances, and to jump in and remove the dog, which at the time was very aggressive… [it's] an incredible act," he said.
The case has revived scrutiny of dog ownership and control laws in New South Wales. Deputy State Coroner Carmel Forbes last year recommended an overhaul of the state's approach after a string of fatal and serious attacks, including the mauling deaths of a five-week-old baby on the Central Coast in 2020 and two-year-old Jyedon Pollard at a Cowra motel in 2022. Forbes said there had been "a concerning amount of dog attacks on people in NSW in the past 15 years that have resulted in serious injuries or even death" and called for "modern outcomes and frameworks to avoid future tragedy and minimise the potential for similar attacks."
Police said they will continue their investigation and prepare material for the coroner. No charges have been announced. Local authorities and animal control agencies will be among those whose findings could inform any further action or recommendations arising from the case.