Neighbour tells of harrowing moment Ilford mother screamed 'like she was being tortured after children stabbed'

NIGEL HOWARD ©
Ellena Cruse27 April 2020
WEST END FINAL

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A mother screamed for help "like she was being tortured" after two children were stabbed to death at a home in east London, a neighbour has said.

A one-year-old girl and three-year-old boy were killed in the “devastating and horrific” attack the Newbury Park area of Ilford at around 5.30pm on Sunday.

Met Police said a 40-year-old man who was known to the children is still fighting for his life in hospital after suffering knife wounds.

Detectives have launched a murder investigation but are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

Police Officers at the cordon in Ilford after two children were killed
NIGEL HOWARD ©

A newsagent worker named locally as Nithin Kumar, known as Nithi, lives at the property with his wife Nisa and two young children, reporters were told.

His boss Shanmugathas Thevadurai told reporters at the CVS store about two miles from the scene: “He’s my staff. Yesterday he was working here normally, he came and opened the shop and finished around 4pm.”

He added that he did not believe it when he went to the house and saw police and ambulances.

Mr Thevadurai, 54, said he hired Mr Kumar eight years ago after he lost his job at Tesco, and called him a “hard-working, honest person” who had a “shy” disposition.

He added that he was “very polite and friendly with customers” and would sometimes call his family on the phone at work.

A policeman guards the property
NIGEL HOWARD ©

The toddler died at the scene in Aldborough Road North, which is just yards from a day nursery, while the boy died later in hospital, Scotland Yard said.

A mother-of-two who lives across the road and gave her name as Reshna said: “I heard a woman screaming ‘Help me’.

“It sounded like she was being tortured. I knew something horrible must have happened, it went on for about 10 minutes.”

The neighbour said she later saw medics carrying a “little body” in a bag outside.

She added: “My heart just sank, it’s devastating, horrific. From a mother’s perspective – I’m still shaken from it, I can’t imagine what she feels at the moment.”

Police were seen patrolling a cordon encircling two newsagents attached to some flats in the quiet residential road off the A12 on Monday.

Two small toy rabbits, one blue and one white and pink, were left at the scene with a note saying: “Little angels, we are so sorry. Rest in Peace.”

Several neighbours said the family were of Sri Lankan descent.

Neighbour Intisar Ahmed said they had lived there for around two years and that she saw a police officer take one of the injured children outside and attempt CPR.

She said: “I was so, so upset. I couldn’t believe it, the baby on the floor and the policeman trying first aid.

“I saw them put him on the floor and it looks like they had taken the clothes off. I could hear the mother screaming.”

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “The children’s next of kin have been informed.

“A 40-year-old man was also taken to hospital and is in a critical condition; officers remain in attendance at the hospital.

“It is believed that all parties involved were known to each other; all three had suffered knife injuries.

“Although no formal arrest has been made, at this early stage, police are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.”

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