Father 'stabbed children then killed himself'
THE two Ashford schoolchildren found dead on a bridleway in Hampshire were stabbed to death by their father moments before he killed himself.
THE two Ashford schoolchildren found dead on a bridleway in Hampshire were stabbed to death by their father moments before he killed himself, police have said.
The bodies of Ben and Freya Pedersen, aged seven and six, were found with their dead father, 51-year-old Michael Pedersen, from Chertsey.
A member of the public called police to report seeing a car on the bridleway in the village of Newton Stacey, six miles south of Andover, at around 6.15pm on Sunday. Officers who attended the scene then made the grim discovery behind the vehicle.
The bodies have yet to be formally identified but next of kin have been informed.
The children had suffered fatal stab wounds, and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.
Bodies of man and children found by car
Detective Superintendent Tony Harris, from Hampshire Constabulary, said the "tragic incident" happened while Mr Pedersen was on an arranged visit with his children.
They had been to see Mr Pedersen's father, but his estranged wife called Surrey Police at around 7pm on Sunday when he failed to return with their children at the arranged time of 5pm.
Det Supt Harris said he believed the deaths happened at some point during Sunday afternoon.
He added that police were already in the process of tracing the family of Mr Pedersen, who had two other children from a previous relationship, when his estranged wife raised the alarm.
"They were visiting relatives in Andover, which is nearby," Det Supt Harris said.
"It was [with] the father of Mr Pedersen, the grandfather of the children."
Describing the incident, he added: "Any scene you go to with children involved is distressing for the officers, we have given them support and they continue to receive support.
"It is very tragic, it's a dreadful loss of life, one of the most tragic cases I have had to deal with.
"A Home Office pathologist visited the scene and at this time it appears the children suffered fatal stab wounds and Mr Pedersen took his own life shortly afterwards."
The children's mother, Erica, was informed of the deaths by a family liaison officer and was being provided with support, Det Supt Harris said.
Speaking outside the children's home in Kingston Crescent, Ashford - where five police officers were stationed on Monday afternoon - their grandfather on their mother's side, William Clifford, said: "We are obviously devastated and what we would ask is that you respect our privacy in this matter.
"It is extremely distressing and that is all I want to say."
Surrey Police said there had been "previous contact with the Pedersen family", adding: "The force will be referring this contact to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for review."
It added: "Surrey Police is liaising with colleagues from Hampshire Constabulary following the discovery of the bodies of a man and two children near Newton Stacey in Andover.
"We are working closely with the investigation team and providing support for the families involved at this difficult time."
Ben and Freya were both pupils at Ashford Church of England Primary School, where headteacher Caroline Dyer said everyone was "deeply shocked and saddened".
A school statement added: "A letter is going out to the parents of all the children explaining what has happened.
"We are all just keeping the mother and the family in our thoughts and prayers."