Man arrested after mother and young girl are found dead in Hackney

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/mar/31/man-arrested-mother-girl-found-dead-hackney

Version 0 of 1.

A murder investigation has been launched after a woman and a young child were found dead.

Police were called shortly after 9.10am on Monday to reports that three people were injured at an address in Oswald Mead, Hackney, east London, Scotland Yard said. A 45-year-old woman and a 23-month-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene.

A 53-year-old man who was found injured has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He was taken to an east London hospital where he remains in a stable condition with injuries which are thought to be non-life threatening.

The victims were named locally as Valerie Forde, a youth support worker, and her daughter Jahzara.

Neighbours gathered near the terraced house as police cordoned off the area. Jeanna Sanderson, 34, said she was the young girl's godmother. She described her as "a bubbly child who liked dancing and always had a smile on her face".

She said that Forde also had three teenage children. "She wanted them to grow up and reach their full potential," she said.

Neighbour Joyce Zeene said: "She was like a sister to me. She's an angel."

The Met's homicide and major crime command is investigating, led by Detective Chief Inspector Charles King.