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Two 14-year-olds charged with murder after mother and daughter found dead

The two youths will appear at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on Monday

Rachael Pells
Sunday 17 April 2016 08:42 BST
Dinner lady Elizabeth Spalding and her daughter Katie (pictured) were murdered in April
Dinner lady Elizabeth Spalding and her daughter Katie (pictured) were murdered in April (Facebook)

Two 14-year-olds have been charged with murder following the deaths of two people in Lincolnshire.

The bodies of a woman and a girl were discovered at a property on Dawson Avenue in Spalding on Friday afternoon.

Police have not formally identified the bodies, but believe the deceased to be 49-year-old school dinner lady Elizabeth Edwards and her 13-year-old daughter Katie.

Relatives of the victims have paid tribute - with a teenage friend of Katie describing her as being "like a sister" and Ms Edwards as a second mother.

Ms Edwards's partner, Graham Green, wrote on his Facebook page: "My babe has gone but you will always in my heart forever and ever and ever.

"The lady meant the world to me she was my rock. Katie so young lots of good times in front of us been taken away r.i.p."

The teenage suspects, whose genders have not been revealed, have both been remanded to appear before Lincoln Magistrates Court on Monday.

Post-mortem examinations on the victims are due to be carried out soon.

One resident living close to the victims’ home in Dawson Avenue said she saw Elizabeth Edwards on Tuesday.

“She was a lovely lady, very friendly and I knew her quite well,” said the neighbour, who preferred not to be named.

“She was quite well known because she worked at a primary school and what has happened is just unbelievable. Katie was lovely too, but very quiet.”

In a statement on Saturday,Superintendent Paul Timmins said the deaths had understandably generated a great deal of local concern.

“I would like to make clear that this type of crime is extremely rare. Indeed, we believe this is a completely isolated incident.”

He said: "This is very much an active investigation that is in its early stages and police would like people not to speculate as to the circumstances surrounding it.

"We are looking at a number of lines of inquiry and doing our utmost to get to the bottom of what has happened."

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Holvey, who is leading the investigation, has appealed for anyone with information or who was in the Dawson Avenue area from about midday on Wednesday 13 April to midday on Friday to come forward.

He added: “Our officers will continue to carry out enquiries in the locality and local uniformed officers will also be in the area, If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to talk to them.”

Anyone with information to assist the inquiry is urged to contact police directly on 101 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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