Baby boy killed and sister critical in hammer horror
Father arrested for murder after double attack at family flat
A FATHER has been arrested following a horrific hammer attack which left his one-year- old son dead and the boy’s twin sister fighting for her life.
Bidhya Sagar Das, 33, was hunted by police after fleeing on Saturday evening when his partner Cristinela Datcu discovered their two children had been battered with a hammer at their home.
Their Romanian mother was heard screaming, ‘My kids, my kids,’ as she ran into the street for help after the horrendous attack at 11pm which apparently happened while she was in the shower.
Her 18-month- old son Gabriel died in hospital just before 1am yesterday and last night doctors were battling to save his sister Maria who was being operated on in an East London hospital, where she was said to be in a critical condition.
Last night Das was arrested on suspicion of the murder of the boy and the attempted murder of the girl at a flat near Finsbury Park, North London, Scotland Yard said.
Police found him at about 7.15pm in Hackney, London, after 20 hours on the run.
Meanwhile, forensics officers were examining a large hammer which was discovered dumped in a builder’s sand bag just yards from the one-bedroom flat.
Friends described Das as ‘jealous’ yesterday, claiming the Indian-born hotel worker had often questioned whether he was the father of the twins, who are both white.
Miss Datcu’s best friend, a 28-year- old fellow Romanian, said she spoke to the mother hours before the attack.
She said: ‘ She was saying she was fine. Because we are best friends I know she was not fine. I said, “I’m going to call you back,” and I didn’t call her back.’
The woman, who did not want to be identified, added: ‘He has like devil eyes. He doesn’t look like a man, he looks like a danger man. She was scared. I told her to leave him and still she said to me, “I know what I have to do.”
‘He was fine with the children but sometimes he would say, “Maybe they are not my children.” I told her he was no good for her but she wouldn’t listen.
‘I think he had mental problems but she said he is sick, I need to help him. Maybe he was just jealous. Every day we talked. She would say, “He is crazy.” I was her only friend.’
She said the children’s grand- mother was due to arrive yesterday for a holiday with Miss Datcu and was yet to learn of the attack. Colleagues said Das had suddenly quit his job as a night receptionist two days before the tragedy after seven years at the same local budget hotel where Miss Datcu works as a maid. Mihai Manea, 29, who lives in the building and works at the same hotel, said neighbours were alerted by her screams. Mr Menea claimed Miss Datcu was taking a shower at the time of the attack. He said: ‘In that time someone has killed the child.
‘When a neighbour went into the room the boy was already dying. The boy had been hit on the head with a hammer. The boy literally died in the neighbour’s arms.’
He added: ‘They seemed a normal family. Das told me he had a few kids, seemed really happy.
‘He said they were eventually going to get married. He quit two days ago, I thought he probably had something better.’
A woman living opposite the building said she heard a woman shouting. She said: ‘I opened the window and I asked her, “Can I help you, can I call the police for you?” She said, “My kids.”’ The neighbour said she later saw two young children being carried out of the building. Yesterday officers and a helicopter scoured the area as detectives said Das left the flat before emergency services were called. Following his arrest, Das was taken to a police station in East London, where he remained in custody last night. Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams, of Scotland Yard’s homicide and major crime command, said: ‘While we remain in the early stages of the investigation, a man has now been arrested. I would still like to hear from anyone who may have any information.’
Neighbours alerted by her screams