Four-year-old boy stabbed to death

Nov 24 2009

Detectives are waiting to question a father of two suspected of stabbing his four-year-old son to death before turning the knife on himself.

Neighbours dialled 999 after hearing a furious row at a flat in Southwark, south east London, on Monday evening.

Police officers arrived at the Lynton Estate property to find the body of the four-year-old boy.

The man's 28-year-old wife was taken to hospital suffering a stab wound to the neck. She has since been discharged. A 17-month-old girl was found unharmed.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the 31-year-old man remains under guard in hospital in a "serious" condition.

Officers from the force's child abuse investigation command were waiting to arrest and question him.

The spokesman added that no-one has been arrested and officers are not looking for anyone else.

He said: "Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a four-year-old boy in Southwark. We know the identity of the dead child but not all next of kin have been notified at this stage. The man remains in a south London hospital. His condition is believed to be stable."

The death is being investigated by officers led by Detective Inspector Keith Braithwaite, based at Stratford.

The spokesman added: "At this stage, officers are looking into all the circumstances surrounding the child's death. There have been no arrests and they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident."