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Girl 'killed by mother's partner' | Girl 'killed by mother's partner' |
(10 minutes later) | |
A nine-year-old girl whose body was discovered in a shop-chain's lorry was killed by her mother's long-term boyfriend, police believe. | A nine-year-old girl whose body was discovered in a shop-chain's lorry was killed by her mother's long-term boyfriend, police believe. |
Stacey Lawrence, from the West Midlands, was found strangled at a lorry park on the A605 near Warmington in Northamptonshire, on Saturday. | Stacey Lawrence, from the West Midlands, was found strangled at a lorry park on the A605 near Warmington in Northamptonshire, on Saturday. |
Darren Walker, aged 40 and also from the West Midlands, was found hanged in nearby woodland. | Darren Walker, aged 40 and also from the West Midlands, was found hanged in nearby woodland. |
Detectives said they were treating the case as a murder-suicide. | Detectives said they were treating the case as a murder-suicide. |
Stacey had accompanied Mr Walker as he made deliveries to Spar stores in Norfolk on Friday. | Stacey had accompanied Mr Walker as he made deliveries to Spar stores in Norfolk on Friday. |
Lorry missing | Lorry missing |
Det Ch Insp Tricia Kirk said Stacey had regarded the trip as a treat and her mother had no concerns before her death. | Det Ch Insp Tricia Kirk said Stacey had regarded the trip as a treat and her mother had no concerns before her death. |
We are not aware of any medical conditions and we are not aware of any family arguments Det Ch Insp Tricia Kirk | We are not aware of any medical conditions and we are not aware of any family arguments Det Ch Insp Tricia Kirk |
Ms Kirk added: "Our investigation is to try and find out what led to this tragic event taking place. | Ms Kirk added: "Our investigation is to try and find out what led to this tragic event taking place. |
"At the moment, we are treating it as a murder-suicide. We believe the little girl was murdered and the man then committed suicide. | "At the moment, we are treating it as a murder-suicide. We believe the little girl was murdered and the man then committed suicide. |
"We are not aware of any medical conditions and we are not aware of any family arguments." | "We are not aware of any medical conditions and we are not aware of any family arguments." |
Police had been alerted after the truck's owners reported the vehicle missing on Saturday afternoon. | Police had been alerted after the truck's owners reported the vehicle missing on Saturday afternoon. |
The Spar delivery vehicle was then traced to a lorry park on the A605 near Warmington and was discovered next to a Jet filling station. | The Spar delivery vehicle was then traced to a lorry park on the A605 near Warmington and was discovered next to a Jet filling station. |
Darren Walker was in a long-term relationship with Stacey's mother | Darren Walker was in a long-term relationship with Stacey's mother |
Police said the cab of the lorry was not locked and officers found the body of the girl in the cab. | Police said the cab of the lorry was not locked and officers found the body of the girl in the cab. |
Officers tried to resuscitate her, and shortly afterwards found Mr Walker's body hanging by a cord in woodland. | Officers tried to resuscitate her, and shortly afterwards found Mr Walker's body hanging by a cord in woodland. |
The route the lorry took has been released by detectives in a bid to find witnesses. | The route the lorry took has been released by detectives in a bid to find witnesses. |
It left its depot in Willenhall in the West Midlands, during the early hours of Friday. | It left its depot in Willenhall in the West Midlands, during the early hours of Friday. |
From there it went straight to Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, where it made deliveries to Spar stores. | From there it went straight to Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, where it made deliveries to Spar stores. |
On its return towards the Midlands, the lorry stopped near Peterborough at about 1500 BST before arriving at the layby in Warmington, near the Cambridgeshire border, at about 1535 BST. | |
Ms Kirk said: "It will have spent a great deal of time in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire during daylight hours, particularly on the A47, so I'm hopeful we will get some good information about its movements during the day." | Ms Kirk said: "It will have spent a great deal of time in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire during daylight hours, particularly on the A47, so I'm hopeful we will get some good information about its movements during the day." |
The lorry has now been removed from the lay-by station. | The lorry has now been removed from the lay-by station. |
Both bodies were taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary on Saturday night for post-mortem examinations. | Both bodies were taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary on Saturday night for post-mortem examinations. |