BERLIN (AP) — German police say a woman and her adult son have apparently been killed by their dog at an apartment in the city of Hannover.

Police said a relative alerted authorities on Tuesday night after seeing a body through a window of the apartment. They said firefighters had to catch the Staffordshire terrier before finding the bodies of the 52-year-old woman and her 27-year-old son.

In a statement Wednesday, police said a forensic expert determined that the two were "apparently killed by the dog."

Authorities in Germany tightened rules on attack dogs following a spate of dog attacks on people, including children, in 2000.