Hounslow deaths – latest: Murder probe launched as mother and father’s fatal injuries revealed
Bodies of four members of Wlodarczyk family, including 11-year-old Maja and three-year-old Dawid, discovered when police forced their way into their Hounslow home
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A murder investigation has been launched after the bodies of a family of four were discovered at a home in Hounslow.
A post-mortem examination gave Monika Wlodarczyk’s cause of death as multiple sharp force injuries. Her body was found alongside her husband and two children after police forced entry when concerns were raised for their welfare.
The Met Police were contacted by 11-year-old Maja’s school at 3.12pm on Friday, June 16, after she failed to attend school for four days and family members failed to respond to messages.
She was found dead alongside her younger brother Dawid, three, and parents, Michal Wlodarczyk, 39, and Monika, 35, with the date of their deaths unknown.
Michal’s cause of death as sharp force injuries to his neck, while post-mortem examinations into the deaths of Maja and Dawid are due to be held on Wedensday.
Tributes have poured in over the weekend to the family while police have confirmed they are not currently seeking anybody else in connection with the deaths.
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Tributes paid to ‘lovely’ girl by best friend’s parents
James Hoopa, the father of Maja’s best friend, visited the family home where forensic searches were ongoing on Saturday to lay flowers with his family.
He told how his daughter, 11-year-old Jasmine Hoopa, ran home to him on Friday afternoon to tell him: “I think something’s happened to Maja.”
Mr Hoopa said: “My daughter goes to school with the little girl in the same year.
"Last night (Friday) I finished with about half six and I came down here and I saw the police cars and everything.
“I got home and I said well, have you contacted your friend? Is she okay? But you know what children are like, no notice.
"Then I come back from work today I find out that she's dead.
“I found out Maja is dead. We know the parents as well, the dad and the mum, they all go out together.
“[Maja] was just a normal child, growing up, a lovely girl. She’s just a normal child, this is a shock.
"I don’t know how my daughter is going to get through this because my daughter is very best mates with her.
“For her to go through this experience, something else as parents that we’ve got to deal with.
"We’re neighbours, we live across the road, this is a shock - it’s going to take some time to settle into this one."
His wife Mrs Hoopa added: “Occasionally I’d take them out, just me, Maja and Jasmine would go out together.
"We’d plan to go out, we went to McDonald’s, we went to Nando’s, not long ago we went to Staines shopping.
“This morning (Saturday) she went out. Not long later she came home, I was a bit surprised she came home so quickly.
"She said to me 'mum, mum, something’s happened, I think Maja, something’s happened to her'.
“I said let’s go and check, we saw the article online that they’d passed away.
"Me, Jasmine, and Jennifer, my daughter, we all rushed down to verify because the description matched them. I thought 'no, no this is not right'.
“I just can’t believe it. She was a very brave girl, very mature for her age.
“It’s just a shock. I don’t know how we’re all going to pull through as family.”
Specialist detectives are investigating
Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, who is leading the investigation, said specialist detectives are investigating what happened.
She said: “I would like to assure the community that specialist detectives are working to establish the circumstances which led to this tragic incident and we will provide further updates as soon as appropriate.
“Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by what has happened.”
Maja was a ‘lovely, beautiful girl’, says mother of friend
Describing Maja as a “lovely, beautiful girl”, a tearful mother said her daughter was in year six with the 11-year-old at nearby Southville primary school and had attended a sleepover party at her house on 31 May.
Maria Gouveia, 37, said: “It’s tragic, her parents were really good people, hard workers, the mother was a cleaner in a hotel, I think the father was a builder.
“Maja was a lovely, beautiful girl, with a strong personality, but she had not been in school for a few days.
“People in her class were texting her, my daughter messaged her on Snapchat, it was not like her to go quiet.
“I think they were going to Mallorca for the dad’s 40th birthday very soon, that’s where I hoped they were when I heard about this.
“It’s shocking, the little boy was so sweet, he was going to start nursery in a few months, we are praying for them.”
Family of four pictured
A family of four, including a three-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl, found dead at a house at a flat in west London on Friday have been pictured locally, as police launched a homicide probe.
The bodies of Michal Wlodarczyk, 39, Monika Wlodarczyk, 35, Maja Wlodarczyk, 11, and Dawid Wlodarczyk, 3, were discovered at their home in Hounslow just after 3pm.
Metropolitan Police officers forced their way into the property on Staines Road, Bedfont, having been called to concerns about the family, who were Polish, according to neighbours.
Photos show investigators at the scene
Locals are 'devastated,' says MP
Seema Malhotra, local MP for Feltham & Heston, made a statement on Twitter after Hounslow deaths.
“Everyone will be devastated by the news that two adults and two children [were] found dead in their home in Bedfont,” she tweeted. “Specialist investigations are ongoing. Our thoughts are with their family.”
Community remembers ‘gorgeous’ family of four
A west London community is in “shock” after a family of four, including two young children, were found dead at their home.
Tributes flowed in for the family, who were described by one Bedfont resident as "absolutely gorgeous".
“It's tragic, her parents were really good people, hard workers, the mother was a cleaner in a hotel, I think the father was a builder,” said family friend Maria Gouveia, whose daughter was friends with Maja.
“Maja was a lovely, beautiful girl, with a strong personality, but she had not been in school for a few days.
“People in her class were texting her, my daughter messaged her on Snapchat, it was not like her to go quiet. I think they were going to Mallorca for the dad's 40th birthday very soon, that's where I hoped they were when I heard about this.
“It's shocking, the little boy was so sweet, he was going to start nursery in a few months, we are praying for them.”
Police ask people with pertinent information to reach out
The police are urging any individual with pertinent information on the Hounslow incident to come forward, as detectives say their investigation – which involves homicide detectives – is at an early stage.
“I would like to assure the community that specialist detectives are working to establish the circumstances which led to this tragic incident and we will provide further updates as soon as appropriate,” Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, who is leading the investigation, said.
“Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by what has happened.”
“Our investigation is at an early stage, and the situation remains that we are not currently seeking anybody else in connection with the incident.”
“We are however retaining an open mind, and I would ask anyone who feels they have pertinent information to contact us as soon as possible.”
Chief Superintendent Sean Wilson, local policing commander for west London, said: “I know the shock and distress that this terrible incident will cause among the community in Hounslow and beyond. I am also aware that this incident will be particularly upsetting for children, and I ask people to please be responsible about what they post on social media.”
“There will be additional police officers in the area across the weekend, I urge anyone with information or concerns to speak with those officers.”
”Enquiries are continuing and special post-mortem examinations will take place in due course, the police said.”
Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to call 101, quoting reference 5135/16Jun. Alternatively, information can be provided via the online form at: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS23V28-PO1.
What happened in Hounslow?
A family of four, including a three-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl, were found dead at a flat in Hounslow on Friday.
Officers said they were called at 3.12pm BST on Friday by a person "concerned about the welfare of the occupants".
After officers carried out a "forced entry" they discovered all four bodies.
The victims have been identified as Michal Wlodarczyk, 39, Monika Wlodarczyk, 35, Maja Wlodarczyk, 11, and Dawid Wlodarczyk, aged three.
All four were found at the property on Staines Road, Bedfont, and thought to be from the same family, police said.
Their next of kin have been informed and are being supported by family liaison officers. The Metropolitan Police's investigation is being led by homicide detectives.
The force described it as "a terrible incident" and said no other parties were currently being sought.