Prosecutors drop case against mother over death of her 12-day-old baby mauled by family’s Chow Chow after husband admitted owning out-of-control dog
- Mother Abigail Ellis, 28, will not go on trial after dangerous dog killed her son
- Newborn Elon Ellis-Joynes was fatally bitten by Chow Chow cross in 2020
- Partner Steven Joynes, 36, will be sentenced in March after his guilty plea
A mother whose newborn son was killed by the family pet will no longer go on trial in relation to the incident, a judge has been told.
Elon Ellis-Joynes was 12 days old when he was attacked by a Chow Chow cross at his home in Doncaster on September 13 2020.
Elon’s parents, Abigail Ellis, 28, and Steven Joynes, 36, of Welfare Road, Woodlands, Doncaster, were both charged following the incident.
Joynes pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court in December to a charge of being the owner of a dog which caused death when dangerously out of control.
Ellis denied the same charge and was due to go on trial in July but, on Monday, prosecutors indicated that they will ask for a not guilty verdict to be entered in her case when Joynes is sentenced later this month.
Abigail Ellis, 28 and Stephen Joynes, 36, (pictured arriving at Sheffield Crown Court in 2021) were both previously charged with an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act, but only Joynes will be sentenced
Mother Abigail Ellis with baby Elon just days before the tragedy unfolded at in Doncaster
The family’s dog Teddy, a Chow Chow-cross, has since been destroyed after the tragic incident
At an inquest for Elon’s death, held in 2020, the court heard he was still alive when his heartbroken mother frantically called an ambulance.
Ellis had been on the toilet and her partner Stephen was outside with another child and came running in.
She told the 999-call handler that her son was breathing, but was ‘really poorly’ and was ‘bleeding from his leg or his stomach’.
Tragically Elon was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead a short time later.
The dog has since been destroyed.
Richard Thyne, prosecuting, said: “Mr Joynes’s plea amounts to clear evidence that he was the owner and he was in control and it was his failings that caused the dog to be dangerous.”
Mr Thyne said this meant there was no longer a reasonable prospect of conviction if the prosecution of Ellis continued.
The judge, Mrs Justice Lambert, bailed both defendants to return to Sheffield Crown Court on March 31, when Joynes will be sentenced.
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