The family of a girl mauled to death by a dog have described her as a "shining star in the sky" who will "never be forgotten".
Lexi Branson, 4, died after being bitten by her pet bull dog at home in Leicestershire.
Police have said the animal, which is not a banned breed, died of stab wounds sustained during attempts to save Lexi.
A statement from Lexi's mother Jodie Hudson, and grandma Kerry Hudson, said: "There's been a tragedy in the family. Lexi was a bubbly, bright little girl.
"She fought for her life from the moment she was born as she was born three months prematurely, she's been taken from us so tragically.
"She will be sadly missed, she will be our shining star in the sky and she will never be forgotten."
Police were called to Lexi's home - a flat in a quiet cul-de-sac in Mountsorrel, a village between Leicester and Loughborough, just after noon on Tuesday.
She was taken by air ambulance to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham where doctors were unable to save her.
It is believed Lexi's mother stabbed the dog after being unable to pull it off her daughter.
Detective Superintendent David Sandall, who is leading the investigation, said: "The flat remains cordoned off to allow for a forensic examination.
"We are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragic death of Lexi and this will include the history of the dog."
Neighbours said the animal was a rescue dog and had only been with the family for a few weeks.
They described Lexi as a friendly girl who played outside her home and was often seen with quite a large dog.
She lived in a flat with her mother and they had been there for about a year, neighbours added.
Arthur Nash, who lives in Rowena Court, said: "Everybody is in shock at the moment with Lexi dying.
"When I saw an ambulance pull up I thought it was an old lady on the court who had had a heart attack, and then the neighbour came up and said she had been killed by the dog. We're in shock."
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "We've seen all the activity today and I've just had a phone call from one of the neighbours to say she's died.
"The police have been and then the ambulance came and we heard.
"I always say hello when I pass, and the little girl used to play outside - she used to say hello when she was playing. It is just such a shock, such a sad shock."
Glennis Goddard, who has lived in the road for 27 years, said: "She was very happy, everything was fun - as it is when you're a four-year-old.
"You've only got to look at her and she'd got a big smile on her face."
Melanie Wright, a spokeswoman for East Midlands Ambulance, said handlers were being given support after responding to the "very distressing" 999 call.
Animal behaviour consultant Jennifer Dobson said the history and temperament of rescue dogs can sometimes be unclear.
She told Sky News: "Sometimes dogs are rescued and picked up as a stray - there's no history - and a kennel environment is not always the same as it behaves in the home."
Seventeen people have now been killed by dogs in the UK since 2005.
The four people to die in the last 12 months include eight-day-old Harry Harper - attacked by a Jack Russell, and Clifford Clarke, 79, believed to have been attacked by a bull mastiff cross breed.
Lexi Branson, 4, died after being bitten by her pet bull dog at home in Leicestershire.
Police have said the animal, which is not a banned breed, died of stab wounds sustained during attempts to save Lexi.
A statement from Lexi's mother Jodie Hudson, and grandma Kerry Hudson, said: "There's been a tragedy in the family. Lexi was a bubbly, bright little girl.
"She fought for her life from the moment she was born as she was born three months prematurely, she's been taken from us so tragically.
"She will be sadly missed, she will be our shining star in the sky and she will never be forgotten."
Police were called to Lexi's home - a flat in a quiet cul-de-sac in Mountsorrel, a village between Leicester and Loughborough, just after noon on Tuesday.
She was taken by air ambulance to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham where doctors were unable to save her.
It is believed Lexi's mother stabbed the dog after being unable to pull it off her daughter.
Detective Superintendent David Sandall, who is leading the investigation, said: "The flat remains cordoned off to allow for a forensic examination.
"We are continuing to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragic death of Lexi and this will include the history of the dog."
Neighbours said the animal was a rescue dog and had only been with the family for a few weeks.
They described Lexi as a friendly girl who played outside her home and was often seen with quite a large dog.
She lived in a flat with her mother and they had been there for about a year, neighbours added.
Arthur Nash, who lives in Rowena Court, said: "Everybody is in shock at the moment with Lexi dying.
"When I saw an ambulance pull up I thought it was an old lady on the court who had had a heart attack, and then the neighbour came up and said she had been killed by the dog. We're in shock."
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "We've seen all the activity today and I've just had a phone call from one of the neighbours to say she's died.
"The police have been and then the ambulance came and we heard.
"I always say hello when I pass, and the little girl used to play outside - she used to say hello when she was playing. It is just such a shock, such a sad shock."
Glennis Goddard, who has lived in the road for 27 years, said: "She was very happy, everything was fun - as it is when you're a four-year-old.
"You've only got to look at her and she'd got a big smile on her face."
Melanie Wright, a spokeswoman for East Midlands Ambulance, said handlers were being given support after responding to the "very distressing" 999 call.
Animal behaviour consultant Jennifer Dobson said the history and temperament of rescue dogs can sometimes be unclear.
She told Sky News: "Sometimes dogs are rescued and picked up as a stray - there's no history - and a kennel environment is not always the same as it behaves in the home."
Seventeen people have now been killed by dogs in the UK since 2005.
The four people to die in the last 12 months include eight-day-old Harry Harper - attacked by a Jack Russell, and Clifford Clarke, 79, believed to have been attacked by a bull mastiff cross breed.
Source : SkyNews
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