‘Beautiful’ brothers and sister aged nine months, three and seven found dead in Bristol pictured for the first time
19 February 2024, 19:40 | Updated: 19 February 2024, 19:44
Tributes have been paid to three ‘beautiful’ children found dead in their home in Bristol.
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Fares Bash, seven, his sister Joury Bash, three, and nine-month-old Mohammed Bash were found dead on Sunday.
Police were called to a property in the Sea Mills area of the city on Sunday morning by a member of the public concerned for the welfare of the people inside.
The children were found inside the property and pronounced dead at the scene just after 12.40pm on Sunday.
A 42-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder. She is being treated in hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
At Sea Mills Methodist Church, members of the city’s Sudanese community came together to share the news and remember the children.
Sadiq Issak said: “It’s a really sad day for everyone in the community. What we can do is to get together and show our support for those impacted. “We all knew them well, so it’s hard for us right now - you just feel awful about the children.”
Another person who knew the family told the Independent: “They were very happy children, very bubbly, especially the eldest child who acts like an adult.
“He was a remarkable boy, not just an ordinary boy he was amazing, intelligent, always trying to help you out, always asking if you were OK.
“He’s so young but he’s like an adult and he’s very curious about everything, trying to figure everything out.
“I’m really sad he’s gone. I said to the mother: ‘One day this boy will be something else, he’s not going to be just a normal boy. He’s going to be a really important person’. And now... I don’t know, I wake up yesterday morning and I’m told he’s gone.”
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."
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Avon and Somerset Police said in a statement this afternoon: "While formal identification has not yet taken place, we can confirm the children who died are believed to be seven-year-old Fares Bash, three-year-old Joury Bash and nine-month-old Mohammed Bash, who were all siblings.
"Their next of kin are continuing to be supported by specially trained officers and our thoughts remain with them at this incredibly difficult time, as well as everyone affected by this tragedy."
The force said post-mortem examinations will be carried out to establish the cause of the children's deaths but are unlikely to be completed until "the middle to the end of this week at the earliest".
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 to visit the church, which is around the corner from where the incident took place.
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.
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.
"I know people will be eager to have answers, but the major crime investigation team are in the very early stages of what will be a highly sensitive, complex and thorough investigation, and it will take time to establish all the facts.
"We anticipate we'll need to carry out further inquiries at the scene for the rest of the week and there will be some cordons in place while we do this."
