Police said on Monday that three children – a 7-year-old boy, a 3-year-old girl and a 10-month-old boy – were found dead in a semi-detached house on the outskirts of Bristol.
Avon and Somerset Police said the 42-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of murder suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said it could take more than a week to determine the cause of the children’s deaths and described the case as extremely sensitive and complex. Family friends said there were “family issues” at the speech earlier this year.
Police declined to reveal the relationship between the children and the woman, but said this was an “isolated” incident and they did not believe there was a risk to the wider community.
Speaking at the scene in Sea Mills, Ch Constable Vic Hayward-Mellen said: Our thoughts are with the loved ones of these children who are going through a terrible ordeal. ”
Hayward Mellen said police received a call early Sunday morning from a member of the public concerned for the safety of his family. “Officers arrived at 12:40 a.m. and found three children whose lives could not be saved.” A post-mortem is not likely to be completed until mid or late week.
Mr Hayward-Mellen said: “We know people want to know answers, but the Major Crimes Investigation Team is in the very early stages of a highly sensitive, complex and thorough investigation and we have all the facts. It will take time to figure it out.” ”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the force reported the incident following contact with police in February.
Mr Hayward-Mellen said: “As usual in situations where there was prior contact with the police, we notified the police. [IOPC]A compulsory formal inquiry will now take place today. ”
She further added: “We are humbled by the community’s response to this tragedy. In a time of great sadness and disbelief, we have seen spontaneous acts of care and support. Within hours of the incident. , a local church was opened for people to come together and pay their respects. This is what it means to be involved in the community and we would like to thank all those who continue to provide this vital and selfless service. Masu.”
The street where the incident occurred is in a quiet neighborhood about four miles north-west of Bristol city centre. On Monday morning, officers remained stationed outside the semi-detached house on the street.
The woman, who requested anonymity, described the arrested woman as a “nice person”. she said: “When that little boy was born, she was so happy. We were so happy for her. We came around and gave him gifts. He was really sweet, really nice. She always had a smile on her face.” Neighbors said the woman was of Sudanese descent.
The Methodist church hall was opened by police on Sunday evening to provide members of the Sudanese community a place to meet and comfort each other.
A minicab driver from Bristol who knew the family well said he last saw the mother and children about two weeks ago.
“I came to visit because I heard that there were family problems between the two. [the children’s mother and father]. “We wanted to see if there was anything we could do to help,” he said.
Her father, who worked as a security guard, was not living at the house at the time. “She wasn’t happy with her husband,” he added. “All her children were happy. I asked them if they needed my help as a taxi driver. They asked me to take them to Tesco. They went shopping. After that, I took them home.
“She’s a very nice person. It’s very sad. Sudanese are usually patient people. Usually we don’t have problems like this. We have a very close-knit community here. Here we come.” The mini-taxi driver said the eldest son was born in Sudan and the others in the UK.
