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Dead girl was sexually assaulted Lorry death girl 'was assaulted'
(9 minutes later)
A nine-year-old girl was sexually assaulted before being strangled by her mother's boyfriend who then hanged himself, forensic tests have revealed.A nine-year-old girl was sexually assaulted before being strangled by her mother's boyfriend who then hanged himself, forensic tests have revealed.
The body of Stacey Lawrence, from the West Midlands, was found in the cab of Darren Walker's lorry in a lay-by at Warmington, Northamptonshire.The body of Stacey Lawrence, from the West Midlands, was found in the cab of Darren Walker's lorry in a lay-by at Warmington, Northamptonshire.
Mr Walker, 40, was hanging from a tree in nearby woodland.Mr Walker, 40, was hanging from a tree in nearby woodland.
It is thought he strangled Stacey then killed himself on 29 August. There was no evidence she was raped, police said.It is thought he strangled Stacey then killed himself on 29 August. There was no evidence she was raped, police said.
A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: "The forensic results are back and they did confirm that there was evidence of a sexual assault which is what most people expected, obviously before the little girl died."
Stacey was strangled with a ligature of black fabric, thought to be some kind of strapping.
Police said Mr Walker used the same sort of fabric to hang himself in nearby woodland.
Realising Stacey is never going to grow up and have her own children and be the zoo keeper she wanted to be is just so hard to bear Roxanne Lawrence
Mr Walker worked as a lorry driver for wholesale distribution firm AF Blakemore and Son, which delivers goods to Spar shops across the Midlands from a depot in Willenhall, West Midlands.Mr Walker worked as a lorry driver for wholesale distribution firm AF Blakemore and Son, which delivers goods to Spar shops across the Midlands from a depot in Willenhall, West Midlands.
Stacey had accompanied him on a trip to make deliveries in East Anglia.Stacey had accompanied him on a trip to make deliveries in East Anglia.
Police said the vehicle left the depot at 0400 BST on Friday 28 August and headed for Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.Police said the vehicle left the depot at 0400 BST on Friday 28 August and headed for Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.
After making deliveries to Spar stores in the county, it was returning to the West Midlands when it stopped just outside Peterborough at about 1500 BST.After making deliveries to Spar stores in the county, it was returning to the West Midlands when it stopped just outside Peterborough at about 1500 BST.
It arrived in the lay-by in nearby Warmington shortly after 1535 BST. The lorry was then parked in the lay-by in nearby Warmington shortly after 1535 BST.
Stacey's mother Roxanne last heard from Mr Walker some time between 1930 and 2000 BST that night. Stacey had been on trips with Mr Walker four or five times before.
A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: "The forensic results are back and they did confirm that there was evidence of a sexual assault which is what most people expected, obviously before the little girl died." He had been seeing Stacey's mother, Roxanne Lawrence, for about a year and had a police caution in 2006 for assaulting his wife of three years.
Mrs Lawrence said losing Stacey was "like losing part of yourself".
She added: "Realising she is never going to come home, and we're never going to see her. Realising she is never going to grow up and have her own children and be the zoo keeper she wanted to be.
"It's just so hard to bear."