Police name three young siblings who died at house in Bristol

The three children who were found dead at home in Bristol have been named as siblings Fares, Joury and Mohammed Bash.

Police said seven-year-old Fares, Joury, age three, and nine-month-old Mohammed were found dead at a property in the Sea Mills area of the city on Sunday.

A 42-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. She remains in custody.

Avon and Somerset Police said formal identification was yet to take place and the children’s next of kin continue to be supported by specially trained officers.

“The post-mortem examinations are not likely to be completed until the middle to the end of this week at the earliest,” a force spokesman said.

Meanwhile, members of the Sudanese community gathered at the Sea Mills Methodist Church to pay their respects to the children.

People had travelled from as far as Newport, South Wales, to visit the church, which is around the corner from where the incident took place.

Salwa Bashar, a family friend from Bristol, said: “I have known this family for over six years now.

“They are part of our community, they’re family friends.

“She and her husband are a very big part of our community, they were just lovely people and were always smiling.

“She’s very friendly and he’s also really friendly.

“I was shocked (when I heard the news) – I didn’t want to believe it, I didn’t want it to be true.

“I was, I still am, in shock. I was really really sad, I still am very sad.

“The Sudanese community, not just in Bristol but across the UK, are shocked as well.

“This is something I have never heard of happening before in our community, never in my life.

“It’s beyond unbelievable.”

Ms Bashar said she felt various organisations, including the police, had let down the family, and the community wanted answers over how this happened.

Ahmed Abdelaal, another family friend, said: “We are all shocked. We don’t know why this has happened or what has happened.

“She was an amazing mum, we don’t know what led to this incident.”

Avon and Somerset Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog over prior contact.

A heavy police presence remains in the area, with a cordon still in place next to the house on Blaise Walk.

Forensics officers could be seen walking in and out of the property throughout the day.

A neighbour, who lives opposite the family but who asked not to be named, said: “They were lovely people, they were very friendly, I couldn’t say anything negative about them. It’s a proper community down here and they were a part of it.

“I’m shell-shocked, quite honestly, I never expected something this horrible would happen around here. I know these people, it’s stomach-churning.”

David Richards, another neighbour, said he had heard loud banging noises but was unable to see anything when he went out to check.

“The next day we found out all this had happened,” he said. “We have never had this sort of thing down here before, it’s usually a very quiet area. It’s unusual.”

Chief Inspector Vicks Hayward-Melen told reporters at the scene on Monday that the police believe this to be an isolated incident and there is no risk to the wider community.

She said: “The death of such young children is a great shock to the whole community and this incident has had a profound and deep impact on all of us in the police.

“We’ll be making sure all those involved in the response and the subsequent investigation are given any welfare support they may need.”