Police officer and three-year-old found dead in Kidderminster
A serving police officer and a three-year-old child have been found dead in a house.
The police officer, a 39-year-old man, and child were found dead at a semi-detached house in Kidderminster on Friday morning.
An investigation has been launched and West Mercia Police is currently treating their deaths as "unexplained".
Officers were called to the address in Cairndhu Drive, off the A456 Birmingham Road, following concerns for the welfare of a man and a young child, West Mercia Police said.
They were found dead on arrival.
Assistant Chief Constable Rachel Jones, from West Mercia Police, said: “It is with great sadness that I share the news that a serving police officer and a three-year-old child have passed away.
"While the circumstances of the deaths are not fully known, this is clearly a tragic incident and our deepest condolences are with family and colleagues."
It has not yet been confirmed whether the child is a boy or a girl.
A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We were called to reports of a medical emergency at a property on Cairndhu Drive at 9.21am on Friday, two ambulances, a paramedic officer and our Hazardous Area Response Team attended the scene.
"On arrival we discovered two patients, a man and a young child. Sadly, it quickly became apparent that neither patient could be saved and they were confirmed dead at the scene."
A crime scene investigation van, belonging to West Mercia Police, was parked outside the address on Friday afternoon, while uniformed police officers stood guard outside the property.
The upstairs windows of the address were open as neighbours spoke of their shock at the tragic events.
Liz Steadman, aged 83, said: "It is absolutely terrible, we are all shocked.
"We knew there was a major incident. There were multiple police cars at the scene, an ambulance and incident support van. We didn't know them.
"There were police and ambulances at the scene very quickly, the place was teeming with officers."
Donna Ashton-Newbury, 43, said: "We thought they moved in there towards the end of last year, November time.
"You never expect that to happen on your doorstep."
Clive Newbury, 46, her husband, added: "We were going to go out at about 10am and the road was closed off because of roadworks. There were about three ambulances and three police cars there."
Kidderminster Town councillor Bill Hopkins said: "It is absolutely shocking what has happened."
Meanwhile, West Mercia Police Federation issued a statement following the tragic incident.
Sarah Cooper, branch chair, said: “We are all deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic and heart-breaking news.
"We extend our deepest sympathies to all those impacted by this devastating incident and our thoughts are very much with family, friends and colleagues.
"The ripples from this incident will be far-reaching and I know that officers and staff across West Mercia Police will be impacted hugely by this tragedy.
"As a federation, we will be on hand to support our members through this in any way we can.”
Ward Councillor Shazu Miah has expressed his shock at the incident – and said his thoughts are with the family.
He added that he and fellow councillors will offer any support to residents.
Councillor Miah said: "I am incredibly shocked by what has happened and my thoughts at the moment are simply for the extended family of this gentleman and the poor child who has sadly died.
"I live just down the road from where the incident happened and I'm just trying to get to grips with what has actually happened, just like many of the residents around here.
"There will be a lot of questions that need to be answered, but I think our thoughts really do need to be with the family of those who died and we'll wait and see what the police say in the next few days about this tragedy."
