A baby along with his three-year-old sister and seven-year-brother who were found dead in a Bristol home, were stabbed to death.
Siblings Fares Bash, seven, Joury Bash, three, and nine-month-old Mohammed Bash were found dead in the Sea Mills area of the city on Sunday, February 18.
Avon and Somerset Police said a 42-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of their murder remains in hospital undergoing treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.
Police were called to a property in Blaise Walk at around 12:40am after a member of the public called with concerns for the children’s welfare.
Friends of the siblings, who were part of the city’s Sudanese community, have gathered at a local church to support one another and pay tribute.
In a statement released on Friday, Chief Inspector Vicks Hayward-Melen said: ‘The loss of such young children, who had their whole lives ahead of them, is truly heartbreaking and our thoughts remain with their family and everyone affected by this tragedy.
‘Our specialist liaison officers will continue to provide their next of kin with any help and support they need.
‘Over the past few days, forensic post-mortem examinations have been carried out on the children. We can now confirm the cause of death for each child was knife injuries.
‘A 42-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of their murder remains in hospital undergoing treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.’
The investigation into the incident is ‘progressing at pace’, the force added.
Ms Hayward-Melen said cordons in Blaise Walk had been lifted and a mobile police station would open in the Sea Mills area on Saturday and Sunday.
She previously told reporters that police believed the findings to be an isolated incident and there was no risk to the wider community.
The force said the Independent Office for Police Conduct had been informed about the incident due to ‘prior police contact’.
Avon and Somerset Police Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford added: ‘I am deeply saddened by the news of the deaths of three children in Sea Mills.
‘The deaths of these children is heartbreaking. My thoughts are with all those who knew and cared for these children and with the local community, who I know will be impacted.
‘The police have made an arrest and believe this to be an isolated incident. They have assessed that there is no further risk to the wider community.
‘There are questions to be asked about how such an appalling event has occurred and what could have been done to prevent it, but for now, I ask that people allow the police to investigate.’
A community vigil will take place to remember the children later at Sea Mills Square from 7:30pm this evening.
Paying tribute, Salwa Bashar, a family friend from Bristol, said: ‘I have known this family for over six years now. They are part of our community, they’re family friends.
‘She and her husband are a very big part of our community, they were just lovely people and were always smiling. She’s very friendly and he’s also really friendly.
‘I was shocked (when I heard the news) – I didn’t want to believe it, I didn’t want it to be true. I was, I still am, in shock. I was really really sad, I still am very sad.’
Ms Bashar, whose two young children were best friends with Fares, added: ‘Fares is the most intelligent child I have ever met, He was courteous and always wanted to know how you were. He’d say to me – ‘How are you Salwa?’.
‘He was no ordinary child, and I always believed he was going to become an extraordinary adult, doing extraordinary things. It breaks my heart that he and his sister and little brother are no longer with us.
‘They were such lovely children and they deserved to be protected by the authorities, who knew there were difficulties around them.
‘What has happened just seems unbelievable. I cannot believe they are no longer with us.’
Mayor of Bristol Martin Reeves wrote on Facebook: ‘It’s almost impossible to find the words to describe this afternoon’s devastating news from Sea Mills, Bristol
‘My thoughts are with all who knew these three young children – we will be working with schools, the community, and the police to support people.’
