Family ‘devastated’ by death of two-year-old ‘murdered by couple’ in sleepy Dorset village
Grandmother says her son, who was not one of those arrested, is 'heartbroken' by the loss
THE grandmother of a two-year-old boy who was allegedly murdered in his Dorset home last week has said the family are "devastated".
Speaking today Sarah Richards said her son and the father of two-year-old Harry, Joe House, was heartbroken.
Harry was found by paramedics having fallen seriously ill at an address in the village of Broadmayne, near Dorchester, on May 26.
He was rushed to Dorset County Hospital at Dorchester where he died later that day from his injuries.
A man and a woman, both aged 21, were arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder after a post mortem was carried out on Wednesday.
Speaking from outside her terraced home in Weymouth, Dorset, an emotional and tearful Sarah Richards said: "We are all devastated. Joe - my son - is heartbroken.
"None of us have seen Harry since Easter Sunday, and to hear about this last week, we are devastated."
She said her son was not one of the people arrested in connection with the toddler's death.
Several family members have posted pictures of the toddler on their Facebook profiles and family and friends have rallied round to offer support and condolences, describing the news as heartbreaking and saying "there are no words".
Joe's sister, Sadie Richards House, said: "Feeling destroyed. It's not fair."
Mrs Richards said their hearts were broken and that feels like they are in a nightmare.
Collette Drage said: "There are simply no words, just sending you all my love."
Niki McLintock added: "So sorry to hear about your tragic news. My heart goes out to you all, truly awful. You are a strong and loving family and will pull through together."
Last night neighbours in the quiet close-knit village spoke of their sadness about the tragedy.
Flowers were laid on the doorstep of the mid-terraced house the toddler lived in.
A note on one message reads: "Fly high little angel. RIP. Thoughts and prayers to your family."
The other reads: "Sorry about your loss, thinking about your family."
Villagers said the couple had only moved to Broadmayne in the last few weeks, having come from the Sturminster Newton area of Dorset.
A next door neighbour, who wouldn't give her name, said: "I didn't know them at all well.
"I think I had one conversation with them and they seemed like nice people. I saw the boy once and he seemed like a cute boy. It's very sad."
A neighbour, who also wouldn't give her name, said: "The couple have only lived in the village for a couple of months and nobody as far as I know knew them.
"I never saw the boy at all.
"His death has devastated the village, it is horrible thing to have happened. It is a very tight-knit community in Broadmayne."
Another neighbour said: "It is just unbelievable that something like that could happen in a little village like this.
"It has been like a thunderbolt. The police were at the house all day."
Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Derbyshire, of Dorset Police's Major Crime Investigation Team, said: "I can confirm that following the post-mortem examination the tragic death of this young boy is being treated as suspicious and a murder investigation has been launched as a result."
The two people arrested are still currently being held and questioned by police.
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