A baby suffered massive head injuries when he was killed by an XL Bully dog while staying with his father for the weekend, an inquest heard today.
Jonte William Bluck, aged nine months, suffered severe head wounds and died before reaching hospital in an ambulance.
The hearing in Newport was told Jonte was bitten by the family pet while staying at his builder father Jarrod Bluck’s home in Rogiet, Gwent, on November 2.
Neighbours feared the dog was spooked by fireworks going off near to 30-year-old Mr Bluck’s home in the run-up to Bonfire Night.
Area coroner Rose Farmer said: ‘Jonte William Bluck sadly passed away on the 2nd of November 2025.
‘The brief circumstances are that on the 2nd of November he was staying at the home of his father when he was bitten by the family dog.
‘He was conveyed to the Grange University Hospital but died prior to arrival.
‘An inquest has been opened as there is reason to suspect that he died as a result of a dog bite.’
A provisional cause of death was given as a compressive head injury, consistent with a dog bite.
The inquest was adjourned until August next year.
Following the tragedy, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s from Rogiet were arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death.
Both people were also arrested on suspicion of child neglect. They were later released on police bail as inquiries continue.
The dog involved in the incident was a six-year-old XL bully, which was registered with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and a certificate of exemption was issued in 2024.
The family dog was put down after it was seized – and later confirmed as a legally-owned black male XL Bully.
At the time, Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Townsend, of Gwent Police, said: ‘The arrests were made as part of a wide range of enquiries that officers are carrying out to understand the circumstances of the death.
‘These enquires are still ongoing. I understand that there is a lot of interest about this in our communities, but this is now a live criminal investigation.
‘We urge people not to speculate, if you have any information, including information on the dog involved – a male, black XL bully – and its previous behaviour, please contact us directly instead.
‘My condolences and thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragic death, both within the community and further afield.’
Police revealed the dog was properly registered with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and a certificate of exemption, allowing Mr Bluck to continue keeping it when the legal ban came into force, was issued in 2024.
Well-wishers gathered around to help Jonte’s family and a fundraiser was started by a local community group in Rogiet, near Caldicott, Gwent.
But the £3,500 target was smashed in less than 24 hours as kind-hearted people were keen to help out and has exceeded more than £7,100.
