Heartbreaking tributes as girl, 10, found dead in Sandwell is named by police

Locals have described the loss of the 10-year-old as ‘heartbreaking’

Neighbours of a 10-year-old girl whose death is being treated as murder have paid tribute to her and placed flowers and toys near her home.

The schoolgirl, who has been named by police as Shay Kang, was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency services were called to a terraced house on the Brickhouse estate in Rowley Regis, West Midlands, on Monday.

A 33-year-old woman, understood by police to be known to the girl, was arrested and taken into custody for questioning on suspicion of murder.

Flowers, notes, cards and toys have been placed at the entrance to Robin Close, where the girl was found “with injuries” at about 12.10pm.

One card read, “You will be soo missed by everyone, rest easy princess,” while another said, “Shay you will be forever missed and always in our thoughts.”

Undated family handout photo issued by West Midlands Police of Shay Kang, whose death death in Rowley Regis, West Midlands, is being treated as murder (Family Handout/PA Wire)

A neighbour of the child said she had seen ambulances at the scene on Monday.

The female resident, who asked not to be named, also said she had not seen Shay for a long period, but other neighbours had reported seeing her playing in the street with other children at the weekend.

The woman said: “They (police) have not told us anything. We only found out what happened on the news.

Floral tributes to a 10-year-old girl, named locally as Shay, placed near her home alongside a picture of her holding a Brickhouse Primary School praise certificate (Matthew Cooper/PA Wire)

“You just don’t think anything like this is going to happen on your doorstep.

“It’s just absolutely heartbreaking what has happened.”

The scene in Robin Close, Rowley Regis, in Sandwell, after a 10-year-old girl was discovered dead (Jacob King/PA Wire)

Neighbours said the youngster lived at the address with her mother and was often seen playing in the road with other local children.

“She was a happy little girl,” another local resident said. “She used to play with other children on a mattress or a settee. It’s absolutely awful news that she has died.”

The girl is believed to have attended Brickhouse Primary School and lived with her mother, according to the Mirror.

A mum, whose children went to Brickhouse with Shay, told the Mirror: “No one knew what to say to our kids as we didn’t know if they were having an assembly or a talk about it at school, just this message. And we sent them in today as normal. The teachers were visibly upset.”

Another local told the paper she had seen the little girl out playing last week but other neighbours had reportedly not seen her in weeks.

Detective Inspector Dan Jarratt, leading the investigation, said: “A young girl has tragically lost her life and our thoughts are with her loved ones and all those impacted by this terrible passing. We are working hard to establish what happened and our investigation has made good progress.

“The community has understandably been left shocked by what’s happened, and we’ll continue to have a police presence and offer our support in the area over the coming days.”

In an update posted on X on Tuesday, West Midlands Police said: “The woman remains in custody today while our inquiries continue.

“We remain at the scene, and anyone with information has been asked to get in touch via 101 or Live Chat.”