A carer in Italy is facing jail after she failed to notice that an 89-year-old woman she was supposed to be looking after had wandered out of her bed into a neighbour’s garden, where she then was torn apart by his two American Staffordshire Terriers.

The carer only realised what had happened when cops called about the attack on Carmen Gorzanelli, 89, in the town of Sassuolo in the province of Modena in Italy last Tuesday, 12th October.

The news site Rai reported that the incident occurred after Carmen left her house alone and wandered around her neighbourhood before going into a garden just a few metres from her own house. It is believed that the elderly victim mixed up the two entrances.

The door to the villa’s garden was open as a young girl who lives there was waiting for her mum to come home.

The young girl tried to warn Carmen that the dogs were in the garden, but Carmen did not hear the warning.

The two dogs then reportedly launched themselves at Carmen, mauling her all over her body.

The young girl called the emergency services but by the time they arrived it was too late, and Carmen had died of her injuries.

Just after the incident Carmen’s son, Roberto Neri, arrived at the scene and as he was initially unsure if his mother was involved had called the carer, who had insisted that his mother was in bed.

The carer was it seems completely unaware that Carmen was not at home and only realised after Roberto called again because he was urged by the police to check on her.

The investigation is ongoing and the police are now reviewing CCTV footage recorded moments before the incident to establish exactly when Carmen left her house and walked into her neighbour’s garden.

The carer is facing a criminal investigation if it is found that she acted negligently.

It is unclear if the owner of the two dogs is being investigated.