PC found dead with wife and sons

Police today said they had found the bodies of a policeman, his wife and two of their young sons, killed in an apparent "murder-suicide".

Police today said they had found the bodies of a policeman, his wife and two of their young sons, killed in an apparent "murder-suicide".

Officers found the bodies of the 31-year-old woman and a three-year-old boy at around 10pm last night after they were called by neighbours to investigate a domestic dispute in Gravesend, a spokesman for Kent Police said.

The couple's three other children were rushed to the Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, where their 18-month-old baby boy died of his injuries, the spokesman added.

Police have named the dead officer as PC Karl Bluestone, 36, who joined the Kent police force in 1987. His wife was Jill Bluestone, 31, and the dead children are Henry, three and Chandler, 18 months. The survivors are Jack, eight, who is in a critical condition in hospital, and Jessica, seven, who escaped with only minor injuries.

Officers then discovered the body of the 36-year-old Kent Pc in a detatched garage at the back of the house in Marling Way.

The spokesman said the killings appeared to be a "a murder-suicide" but refused to give further details.

Forensic scientists worked through the night examining the house and garage for evidence.

A post-mortem examination was due to be carried out later this morning.

An investigation has been launched, headed by Det Chief Insp Colin Murray at Maidstone police station.