TEEN’S DEATH PROBED
Investigation continues into death of girl, 16, after police received report of ‘stabbing’
POLICE were last night continuing their investigations into how a 16-year-old girl died and two men were hurt during a “major incident” in the Rhondda.
Floral tributes appeared yesterday on Baglan Street, Ynys wen, near Treorchy, where just 24 hours earlier police were called to reports of a stabbing.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene – outside the Blue Sky Chinese takeaway – just after noon on Friday.
Witnesses said more than 30 police and ambulance vehicles were scrambled to the village, while two air ambulances landed nearby.
Two men have been arrested in connection with the incident and yesterday remained in hospital receiving treatment for serious injuries.
It is understood those involved in the incident are known to each other.
Police officers and forensic investigators remained in the small Valleys community yesterday, where the teenager’s death was being treated as “sudden and unexplained”.
A large white screen remained in place around the immediate area outside the Blue Sky.
The road remained quiet yesterday and most of the investigative work appeared to be taking place inside the takeaway’s premises.
People living nearby spoke of their shock at what has taken place in the normally quiet street.
Mark Bethell, who lives up the street from Blue Sky Chinese, said he had gone past the scene shortly before lunchtime on Friday, on a shopping trip to Lidl.
He added: “When I got there my sister called me about what happened there [outside the Blue Sky], I missed it by about five minutes.
“We were down there for about an hour and when we came back the police were everywhere.
“Then [on Friday night], at around about 10 or half past 10, they towed a black car away then, that was outside there all day.”
Callum Street, who lives opposite the takeaway, said: “I didn’t see anything, we just heard commotion then around 20 minutes later there was police outside, armed police with guns, and paramedics.
“We noticed it about [noon] and it carried on all day really until about midnight.
“It’s a quiet area... we just know it as the Chinese across the street.”
Another resident in the area said: “The police were advising us to stay in the house and the armed police turned up and backed us up the road.
“You wouldn’t think it would happen on your own doorstep. The response to it was pretty rapid. We don’t know the family and we don’t get any food from there.
“The police left at around 11pm and they re-opened the road around then too. But there was police here all night.”
A number of floral tributes were laid next to the police privacy screen yesterday, as police officers remained parked outside the premises.
One of the tributes simply read: “Thinking of you at this time.”
Superintendent Rich Jones, from South Wales Police, said: “This is clearly a very serious incident which has caused significant shock and concern for both the local and wider community.
“We have a dedicated team of detectives working hard to establish the exact circumstances that have led to the tragic death of this young girl.
“While the investigation is still in its early stages, we can confirm that those involved are understood to know to each other and we are currently not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
“There will be significant police presence in Baglan Street over the weekend, but we will re-open the road at the earliest opportunity.
“In the meantime, the support and understanding of the local community is very much appreciated.”
The family is being supported by specially trained family liaison officers.
A spokesman for the Welsh Ambulance Service said they had sent one rapid response vehicle, three emergency ambulances, the hazardous area response team and the Wales Air Ambulance to the scene.
John Belgrove, a builder, who lives in Baglan Street, said he was in his shed when his barking dogs alerted him to emergency services just after noon on Friday.
He said: “I came out and I counted over the next half an hour about 31 different emergency vehicles.”
He described seeing one person “crying uncontrollably” with blood on their front, while another two people were treated by paramedics.
Another resident said they saw someone being “stretchered off” into an ambulance.
They said: “I live in the street, it was about half past 12 on my way to meet my friend.
“As I come around the corner there was loads of sirens and I saw four police at the bottom with guns telling people they couldn’t come down the hill.
“They were saying, ‘can you get back?’.
“Then a couple of minutes later I saw someone getting stretchered off into the back of an ambulance literally outside the Chinese by the hill.”
One neighbour said she saw “quite a few police cars” arrive in the area and knew it must be “something serious”.
Mavis Wakeford, 79, said: “It’s quiet, nothing like this has ever happened. I’ve lived here all my life and nothing like this has ever happened before.”
On Friday, First Minister Mark Drakeford wrote on Twitter that news of the incident was “deeply concerning”.
He said: “I’m being kept informed of developments and my thoughts are with everyone in the community during this worrying time.”
Chris Bryant, Labour MP for Rhondda, wrote on Twitter that he was aware of “disturbing events on Baglan Street” and said his thoughts went out to all those affected.
Speaking later to ITV news, he added: “We never think that something like this is going to happen in the Rhondda, but it’s not that long ago that we had the attack in the Co-Op in Penygraig.
“Very different set of circumstances as I understand it.
“I don’t think people need to be frightened or nervous, the police are completely in control of the situation.
“Until we know all the details it’s hard to know how one should respond. My concern is just to make sure that
everyone in the Rhondda is safe, and the police have guaranteed that.
“It sounds like a horrific, terrible set of events, but I think it’s very self contained and people are safe.”
Rhondda MS Leanne Wood said her thoughts were with those involved, the people who live in the area and police and paramedics who continue to deal with the aftermath.
Ms Wood said: “My thoughts go out to the people harmed in this incident, the local residents who may have witnessed it.”
■ Witnesses or anybody with information are urged to contact South Wales Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously quoting occurrence *077519.