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The bodies of a family of four people including two children, have been found at a property in Costessey, near Norwich, police have confirmed.
Norfolk Constabulary said officers forced their way into an address in Allan Bedford Crescent, Costessey, shortly before 7am on Friday morning following a call from a member of the public.
The bodies of a man, aged 45, a woman aged 36 and “two young girls” of the same family, whose ages are not yet known were found, Norfolk police have confirmed.
Three members of the family lived at the address permanently, while a fourth person was there “non-permanently”.
Officers were called to the same house in December as part of a missing persons inquiry and they will now look back on that incident. Police are expected to remain at the scene for a “considerable time”.
A white tent has been set up outside the property
(Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
At a press conference this afternoon, police said they will not reveal the identity of those who have died at this stage.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Burgess from the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team, said a weapon had been recovered from nearby woods but was not believed to be linked to the deaths at this stage.
“I would stress to the community, let’s be very aware of what we share on social media without confirmed information.
“We don’t want to cause any undue distress or give false information that might actually hamper the investigation rather than support it.”
A police cordon is in place at the estate
(PA)
All four people were “known to each other” and an investigation is now underway into the “distressing and tragic incident” which led to their deaths, according to Norfolk Constabulary.
A police cordon is in place and detectives from the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team are leading enquiries and forensic examinations are also being carried out.
A neighbour told the BBC that she knew the family in passing as their children went to school together.
“I only met them sometimes in the street because my son and her kids go to the same school, so we met sometimes in school or in the street and said ‘hello’.”
The incident took place in Allan Bedford Crescent in Costessy just outside Norwich
(Google Maps)
Vans for police forensic teams were present at the scene this afternoon.
Police believe it is an “isolated” incident and Detective Burgess said: “Our investigation is in the very early stages and this is clearly a very distressing and tragic incident.
“While we’re following a number of lines of enquiry, at this time we believe this is an isolated incident.
“I understand that news of this incident will be shocking to the local community and as soon as we can we will release more information.”
A white tent has been set up, and multiple plain and uniformed police officers are the only emergency services at the site according to the BBC, who said residents within the cordon were not allowed out of their homes – although normal life appears to have resumed as people returned from work and school this afternoon.
Formal identification has not yet taken place.
People in white suits have been seen entering and leaving the home as an investigation is under way
(PA)
Daniel Sealey, who lives 200-300 yards from the house on the same estate, told the BBC he was “shocked, absolutely shocked” after seeing news of the deaths.
“It’s a quiet estate, things don’t happen around here like this,” he said, sharing that he had heard of the news on social media.
Meanwhile, neighbour Jane Scrafton said she was “shocked” to hear the news that four people had been found dead.
“I saw all the police coming around this morning, and the ambulance and I thought that there was something going on. I thought it was quite serious for the amount of police,” she told ITV News Anglia.
Residents were unable to leave their homes as a police cordon was in place
(Joe Giddens/PA Wire)
Gary Blundell, a Lib Dem councillor who represents New Costessey at South Norfolk District Council, said that residents and people would be offered “the support they need”. He reassured locals that there was “no danger to the public” saying that the community had been left “stunned” by the incident.
He told Eastern Daily Press: “It’s shocking – My heart goes out to anybody involved in this.
“Residents in Queen’s Hill are stunned – we will need to get anyone affected the support they need.”
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