Mitcham: Murder investigation after girl, five, dies in knife incident at flat
A murder investigation has been launched after the child died in hospital where a woman remains in a life-threatening condition.
Wednesday 1 July 2020 22:54, UK
Police have launched a murder investigation after a five-year-old girl died after being stabbed at a flat in south London.
The child has not been formally identified, but police said they are confident she is Sayagi Sivanantham.
Officers and paramedics were called to the property in Monarch Parade, Mitcham, south London, at 4pm on Tuesday, where the youngster and a 35-year-old woman were found with knife wounds.
Both were taken to hospital and the girl was pronounced dead a short time later.
Police remain at the hospital, where the woman - who a neighbour said she had found "lying in a pool of blood" - is in a life-threatening condition.
Neighbour Elsa Gonzales, 47, said she heard screaming and crying coming from her next-door flat, where a family of four from Sri Lanka lived.
Mrs Gonzales, a former emergency department worker, rushed inside to find the mother and child in the bedroom.
"I saw the woman lying on the floor in a pool of blood," she said.
"There was blood everywhere. I looked on the bed and saw the girl, she was covered in a blanket."
Police said no arrests have been made and they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident as they believe everyone involved was known to each other.
Mrs Gonzales, who has lived in the building for 12 years, said: "It's really breaking my heart, the child was a smart kid, she was always smiling.
"She was a cheeky little girl, always playing with the neighbourhood kids. To see her so lifeless, it's like my heart is bleeding. She (the woman) was a good mum."
A Sri Lankan girl, 15, who lives in the same building, said her family were friends with the mother and child.
She described her as "playful and talkative".
"They were a happy family, we knew them for about seven years," she said. "We feel sad hearing the news."
Detective Chief Inspector Justin Howick said the incident will be shocking for the local community but reassured them nobody else is being sought over Sayagi's death.
Any witnesses or anybody with information should call police on 101, call the incident room on 02087858244, tweet @MetCC quoting CAD5109/30JUN or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.