Children found dead not known to social services

Flowers outside the house where the bodies of a man and three children were found on SaturdayImage source, SONJA JESSUP/BBC
Image caption,

Police have confirmed all four found in the house in Staines were related

  • Published

Three children who were found dead with a man at a house in Surrey were not previously known to social services, the BBC understands.

Neighbours said they believed a young Polish family with three boys, including twins, lived at the house in Bremer Road, Staines.

The man has been identified as Polish national Piotr Swiderski, while police have confirmed all four found in the house were related.

The force has said it was investigating and had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), due to previous contact with the family.

The IOPC said it would assess information provided by the force before deciding if further action is required.

Surrey Police was called by the ambulance service to the property, at about 13:15 BST on Saturday.

Image source, SONJA JESSUP/BBC
Image caption,

Tributes lined the wall outside a property on Bremer Road on Monday

In a statement issued on Sunday, it said it believed the deaths were an isolated incident with no third-party involvement.

The force added that post mortems and formal identification would take place in due course.

Image source, SONJA JESSUP/BBC
Image caption,

The IOPC said it was still deciding whether to investigate Surrey Police's prior contact with the family

The mother and next of kin are aware of the deaths and being supported by specialist officers.

On Monday, floral tributes lined the wall outside a property on Bremer Road, alongside candles, soft toys and balloons.

A tribute from neighbours read: "We have no words, but our thoughts and love are with you at this extremely hard time. RIP little angels".

Spelthorne Borough Council leader Joanne Sexton said: "This is an incredibly heartbreaking incident for our community.

"My deepest condolences go out to everyone affected."