Staffordshire police arrested a 43-year-old woman in connection with the deaths of two children, a girl and a boy aged two and three, who were pronounced dead on Sunday morning.
The younger child, Meraj Ul Zahra, was found alongside Abdul Momin Alfaateh at a home located on Corporation Street at around 7:30 a.m. NST. The suspect was said to be from the Stafford area and is being accused of murder.
Woman Arrested After Two Children Found Dead
The victims' next of kin have already been informed of the situation and are receiving support from specially trained officers. The force released a statement saying that the incident had already been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
A spokesperson for the IOPC said that the Staffordshire Police notified them of the death of two young children in Stafford on Oct. 12, where there was recent police contact prior to the victims' deaths, according to BBC.
The spokesperson added that they will assess before deciding whether or not further action may be required of them in the case. Det. Insp. Kirsty Oldfield said they are working to understand more about the situation and what happened to lead up to the tragic deaths of the two young children.
Oldfield added that they are asking people not to speculate at this stage of the investigation, as it is distressing for the family and friends of the victims. Additionally, such efforts could hinder the agency's inquiries.
She said that they are aware that the deaths of the children may cause concern in the local community, but she reassured that they believe there is no wider threat to the public at this point in time, Yahoo News reported.
A Similar Incident
There was a separate incident earlier this month in Texas where a mother was charged in the fatal shooting of two of her children. The suspect is believed to have shot her four kids, fatally striking two and injuring the other two while inside a vehicle.
The mother was identified as 31-year-old Oninda Romelus of Montgomery County, Texas, who has been charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and is now being held on $14 million bond.
Details of the incident, including the suspect's motive and the events leading up to the shooting, are still under investigation. Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman said the tragic incident has shaken the entire community, as per the New York Times.
