Murder probe after hospital doctor and daughter found dead
Mother attacked and girl, 14, burned in home
A DOUBLE murder investigation has been opened after the bodies of a mother and her teenage daughter were found inside their fire-damaged home.
Dr Saman Mir Sacharvi, 49, a mental health doctor, had been assaulted and died from ‘pressure to the neck’, a post-mortem examination found.
Her daughter Vian Mangrio, 14, had been badly burned, but it has not been determined how she died.
Police were called to their semidetached home in Burnley, Lancashire, at about 8.45am on Thursday after concerns were raised about the pair’s safety. Officers discovered their bodies along with evidence of fire and smoke damage inside the house.
Detectives say they are keeping an open mind regarding the circumstances and appealed for witnesses and anyone who saw anything suspicious in the
‘A joy to work with’
area in recent weeks to come forward. Lancashire Police said the mother and daughter’s next of kin had been informed and they were being supported by specially-trained officers.
Dr Sacharvi, who was married, worked for Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, while her daughter was a pupil at Marsden Heights Community College in nearby Nelson.
A spokesman for the health trust said: ‘ Our thoughts are with Dr Sacharvi’s family and friends at this time.
‘She was a well-loved and well-liked colleague here at the trust, described as brilliant and a joy to work with.’
Dr Sacharvi’s colleagues and patients also paid tribute online. Jacqueline Eastwood said: ‘RIP Saman you were a lovely person and we had lots of laughs when we worked together.’
Julie Chapman added: ‘Such a beautiful, kind, caring lady. Words can’t express how awful this is. RIP Dr Saman and your beautiful daughter.
‘It was a privilege to have met you and been able to work with you. Thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends at this sad time.’
Helen Monk posted: ‘Beautiful woman and an amazing doctor. She was loved and well thought of on Edisford ward. She will be sadly missed and fondly remembered.’
Christini Patini added: ‘Our lovely, warm, funny, gentle colleague. Only last week a service user asked if she was as lovely to work with as she was with her patients, and she was.’
Superintendent Jon Holmes, from Lancashire Police, said a major incident room had been set up to investigate. He added: ‘This is a truly harrowing set of circumstances and my thoughts are very much with the loved ones of Dr Sacharvi and Miss Mangrio. We are now treating the investigation as a double murder inquiry.
‘Detectives and staff are following a number of lines of inquiry to piece together exactly what has happened. I would now appeal to anyone with any information about these two deaths to get in touch with us.
‘Perhaps you have seen something suspicious close to the scene in recent days or weeks, maybe you have CCTV or dashcam footage taken in the area that you can share with us, or perhaps you think you know who may be responsible.
‘Even if you think that the information you have is insignificant, please come and speak to us and let us be the judge.
‘We also recognise that this will have caused concern in the local community and we would like to reassure residents that we have extra patrols in and around the area.’