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Accused father found dead in jail | Accused father found dead in jail |
(10 minutes later) | |
A Surrey man charged with murdering his six-year-old son has been found dead in his cell at a Sussex prison. | |
Dafydd Field was found at HMP Lewes on Tuesday, the Prison Service said. It is believed he electrocuted himself. | |
The 52-year-old teaching assistant had appeared before Dorking magistrates on Saturday and remanded in custody. | |
His son Jethro was found at a house in George Road, Farncombe, on 4 April. Mr Field, of the same address, was to appear before the Old Bailey in July. | |
He was arrested at a police station in Tywyn in Gwynedd, Wales, two hours after his son's body was discovered. | He was arrested at a police station in Tywyn in Gwynedd, Wales, two hours after his son's body was discovered. |
A post-mortem examination on the boy's body was completed, but Surrey Police did not release the results, saying they were central to the investigation. | |
'Devoted father' | |
Staff and paramedics tried to resuscitate Mr Field but he was pronounced dead at 0642 BST, a Prison Service spokesman said. | Staff and paramedics tried to resuscitate Mr Field but he was pronounced dead at 0642 BST, a Prison Service spokesman said. |
He said next-of-kin had been informed and there would be an investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, but added: "Indications are it was self-inflicted and appears to be electrocution." | He said next-of-kin had been informed and there would be an investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, but added: "Indications are it was self-inflicted and appears to be electrocution." |
On the day the child's body was found, police were called to the house in Farncombe by a person reporting a domestic incident. | On the day the child's body was found, police were called to the house in Farncombe by a person reporting a domestic incident. |
Neighbour Cicely Hill, who lives opposite the family, said Mr Field was a "devoted father". | |
She added: "I didn't know him that well, but I'd seen him with the children and he was great with them." | |
A spokeswoman for Surrey Police said the force would be co-operating fully with the Prison Service inquiry, supported by Sussex Police. | |
She said: "Every death in custody has to be investigated. There will be a full investigation into what took place and obviously our investigation will have to be re-examined." | |
The Surrey force was supporting Mr Field's family through the double tragedy, she added. | |
"Family liaison officers will be, and have been, doing what they can to comfort them," she said. |