Good morning, these are the latest ECHO headlines today.
Baby girl mauled to death by dog in her own home
A 17-month-old girl was mauled to death by a dog in her own home.
Merseyside Police rushed to Bidston Avenue in Blackbrook, St Helens at around 3.50pm on Monday, March 21, following reports a child had been attacked by a dog. Police and the North West Ambulance Service arrived at the scene and the girl was rushed to hospital.
The baby girl died of her injuries a short time later.
READ MORE: Every word murdered mum's devastated family want you to read
The dog was handed over to police when they arrived at the scene and it has since been destroyed. The dog will be subject to further forensic examinations to determine the breed of dog and whether it is, or isn’t a legal breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991).
Officers remain at the scene on Bidston Avenue this evening and extensive CCTV, witness and house-to-house enquiries are carried out.
Read the full story here.
Live updates as police close M53 due to 'ongoing incident'
The M53 has been closed by police due to an 'ongoing incident.'
It is cordoned off inbound due to a police incident from J2 (Moreton Spur) to J2A A551 Moreton Road (Upton).
The motorway is also blocked outbound at J2A A551 Moreton Road (Upton).
READ MORE: Woman thrown to ground by police officer after city centre row
It is believed that the closure have been in place since around 4.20am this morning and is causing heavy traffic towards Moreton and Upton and towards the Liverpool / Chester Split.
A diversion is currently in place heading up to the Moreton Cross, and back down Upton Road to rejoin using the entry slip road as the flyover above is closed.
For the latest updates visit our live blog here.
Cocaine trafficker who saw parents murdered to be deported
A cocaine trafficker who fled Kosovo as a 13-year-old after watching his parents be murdered is to be deported.
The dad-of-two, who was granted anonymity by the Immigration Tribunal, was a member of a Merseyside organised crime gang convicted of trying to smuggle £3m worth of Class A and B drugs into Dublin. He was jailed for six years for his involvement in the plot at Liverpool Crown Court in January, 2019.
READ MORE: 'Monster' dad murdered terrified mum N'Taya Elliott-Cleverley next to their sleeping baby
The Home Office signed a deportation order in July, 2019, but he appealed to the First Tier Tribunal and the deportation order was quashed. However the Home Office appealed the decision and won, meaning the man is set to be removed from the UK.
The appeal heard how the man's children are likely to suffer considerable psychological distress by being separated from their dad, with the court hearing how his daughter developed "bald patches" and bit the skin around her fingernails until it bled while he was in jail.
Read the full story here.
