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Family of four and their dog found dead at their West Sussex home Murder inquiry launched after family of four and dog found dead
(about 13 hours later)
Police open murder inquiry but are not seeking anyone else in connection with deaths Police not seeking anyone else in connection with deaths in Woodmancote, West Sussex
A family of four and their dog have been found dead at a home in West Sussex. A murder investigation has been launched after a family of four and their dog were found dead in a West Sussex village.
The bodies of two adults and two children were found at an address in the village of Woodmancote on Sunday evening. The bodies, understood to be those of a man, his partner and their two young daughters, were discovered at a house in Woodmancote, near Chichester.
Sussex police have launched a murder investigation, but said they were not seeking anyone else in connection with the deaths. Officers from Sussex police attended the address in Duffield Lane at about 6.45pm on Sunday evening after receiving a call raising concerns for the welfare of the residents.
Officers from the force attended at around 6.45pm after receiving a call raising a welfare concern about the residents. All of the victims are believed to be members of the same family, the force said, and all were pronounced dead at the scene. When they arrived, they found four bodies. Police said they were treating it as a murder investigation but detectives were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.
The family were seen at the end of last week taking their daily exercise in the fields around their home, a detached house with a large garden.
Ch Supt Jerry Westerman said: “This is believed to be an isolated incident contained to one property and in these early stages of the investigation we are not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident.”Ch Supt Jerry Westerman said: “This is believed to be an isolated incident contained to one property and in these early stages of the investigation we are not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident.”
Locals were warned they could expect to see a heightened police presence in the area. Residents of the village were told they could expect to see a heightened police presence in the area.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Sussex police on 101 quoting Operation Cotton. One neighbour described the scene as police arrived at the house. “The activity started about 6.55pm but by 7.15pm or 7.20pm when I looked out there were upwards of eight or 10 police cars and a couple of paramedics vehicles with both marked and unmarked police cars,” they said.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org. “It’s surprising that there has been an incident of this kind in this lane. You can never tell what’s going on behind doors. I’ve never heard any sound of argument coming from the house.”
Another resident, Ian Richardson, said it was a close community and the neighbourhood was considered a low-crime area. He added: “I have tried to put it into context and think it’s something that happens all over the place.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Sussex police on 101, quoting Operation Cotton.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.