New York ? There was something about the blue scarf tied around Kaitlyn Hassard’s neck that cost the 6-year-old her life.

Shortly after the girl returned to her Manorville, N.Y., home from kindergarten Tuesday afternoon, the family’s 70-pound golden retriever began playfully nipping at Kaitlyn’s scarf, Homicide Squad Det. Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick said.

The dog apparently grabbed hold of Kaitlyn’s scarf with its mouth and dragged her a short distance in the backyard, strangling her, Fitzpatrick said. It did not look like the dog attacked her. “It was playing with her,” he said.

Fitzpatrick said Kaitlyn’s mother had ushered the dog into the backyard after it began to play with the scarf around Kaitlyn’s neck. Later, Kaitlyn asked for permission to play in the backyard and her mother obliged, Fitzpatrick said.

When her brother went to get her, he found her unconscious on the lawn, the roughly 3-foot-long, soft-cloth scarf tangled around her neck, Fitzpatrick said.