What happened to Esther Martin? Everything to know about grandmother mauled to death in Essex dog attack

Esther Martin, a 68-year-old grandmother who was visiting her grandson on Hillman Avenue, Jaywick Street, Essex, died on Saturday evening after being mauled by two XL Bully dogs. The dogs reportedly belong to the father of her grandson, Ashley Warren.

Esther was originally from Woodford Green, London, and was in Jaywick to babysit her 11-year-old grandson for the weekend.

Sonia Martin, daughter of the deceased Esther Martin, told the BBC that the dogs were of the banned XL Bully breed. However, police are yet to confirm their breed, as that'd take some time. Sonia, 47, also shared:

“There were adult XL bully dogs on the property, and my mum had raised concerns to the owner about them being dangerous and quite aggressive.”

Sonia first received the news of her mother’s death from the local police officer, who arrived at her home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on Saturday at 22:00 GMT.

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The dogs’ owner had reportedly instructed Esther Martin to put a broom among the puppies

Essex Police sealing Ashley Warren's property (Image credits: Essex Police)

Talking to the BBC about the events that led to her mother, Esther Martin’s death, Sonia shared how Esther believed that the puppies were fighting. Before leaving Esther and his son alone with the dogs, Ashley Warren had reportedly instructed his ex-mother-in-law to “put a broom in among them, to distract them.”

Sonia further added that when her mother found the puppies fighting, she picked up a broom to do the same. She added,

“That’s when she was attacked.”

Sonia told the BBC that as soon as the adult bully dogs attacked Esther Martin, she screamed at them, saying, “Get off! Get off!”. Her grandson, who was upstairs at the moment, was alarmed at the screams and ran out on the street, yelling at the neighbors for help.

Mike and Julie Coleman, a couple who lived a few doors down the road, shared with the BBC how they first saw Esther’s grandson running and shouting.

“He starts whacking at the windows. He appeared panicked and said, ‘phone the police’.”

Julie Coleman said they heard the boy shouting that there was a lady inside the property who was being attacked by two dogs. Before the police arrived, some neighbors gathered around the house, trying to help Esther Martin. Julie shared,

“One fella was shouting and banging on the window with his fist. He picked up a brick and broke the window. There was apparently blood everywhere inside. Her head was covered in blood.”

By the time police cars arrived at the property around 4 pm local time, Esther Martin was already pronounced dead.

Grieving her mother’s death, Sonia Martin revealed to the BBC how Esther was “getting her life back together” following the death of her other daughter, Ashley Warren’s partner, Claire.

She also shared that Esther used to work at Tesco in Leyton until Claire’s death. Sonia also expressed her anger at how the dog attacked and robbed the whole Martin family.

“It’s killed our mum and it’s killed our children’s grandmother. I’m getting married in a couple of years and my mum won’t be at that.”

Ashley Warren, the 39-year-old owner of the banned XL bully dogs who was arrested on suspicion of dangerous dog offenses, has been released on conditional bail until March, as per the BBC.