LEEDS, England, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- A dog owner in northern England was arrested Wednesday after a pregnant neighbor died, allegedly following an attack by his pit bulls, police said.
The 33-year-old Leeds man, whose identity had not been released, could be charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act, the Daily Mirror reported. He was detained for questioning.
Emma Bennett, 27, died Tuesday night in a Leeds hospital. Police went to her home after a neighbor heard her screaming and found her on the floor.
Officers found a pit bull in the kitchen of the house and another one unrestrained in the street. Both dogs were seized by police.
Another neighbor said Bennett, who already had two children, was epileptic, which may have encouraged the dogs to attack her.
"We'd heard that a few weeks back the pit bull started getting really nasty with her because she is epileptic," the neighbor said. "Apparently, it wanted to go for her whenever she was having a fit. I think she has had a fit and the pit bull has got hold of her."
The government has proposed harsher sentences for the owners of dogs that attack people, including possible life sentences for fatal attacks.
