NOVICHOK MUM DEAD
Detectives launch murder inquiry over poisoning in Salisbury
THE mum of three poisoned by Novichok died in hospital last night.
Dawn Sturgess, 44, collapsed on June 30 after being exposed to the Russian nerve agent in Salisbury, Wilts.
Prime Minister Theresa May said last night: “I am appalled and shocked by the death of Dawn Sturgess. My thoughts and condolences go to her loved ones.”
Detectives have launched a murder probe. A 45-year-old man who fell ill with Dawn remains in a critical condition.
NOVICHOK victim Dawn Sturgess has died, eight days after being exposed to the nerve agent.
Detectives launched a murder inquiry after the mum-of-three, 44, lost her battle in hospital last night.
Her boyfriend Charlie Rowley, 45, who was also taken ill following exposure to the nerve agent, remains critically ill in Salisbury General Hospital.
Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, UK counter-terrorism chief, said: “This terrible news only serves to strengthen our resolve to identify and bring to justice the person or persons responsible for what I can only describe as an outrageous, reckless and barbaric act.
“Detectives will continue with their painstaking and meticulous work to gather all the available evidence so that we can understand how two citizens came to be exposed with such a deadly substance that cost Dawn her life.”
Her family were receiving support from specially trained family liaison officers and a postmortem was scheduled to take place soon.
Hours before Dawn’s death her son Ewan Hope, 19, told the Mirror how he only recently got back in touch with her.
He said: “We got back in contact about a week before, after not speaking for months. I was happy, I thought I was about to get mum back.”
Dawn and Charlie were taken to hospital last Saturday after both collapsing at his home in Amesbury, Wilts. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down confirmed last week the pair had been exposed to Novichok.
Further tests of samples from the pair showed that Dawn, of Salisbury, and Charlie were exposed to the nerve agent after touching a contaminated item with their hands.
It was also the same Novichok as that used in the March attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia.
The National Counter Terrorism Policing Network is working alongside Wiltshire Police. A spokesman added: “Detectives are working as quickly as possible to identify the
I am appalled & shocked by the death of Dawn Sturgess THERESA MAY PRIME MINISTER
source of contamination.” Prime Minister Theresa May said: “I am appalled and shocked by the death of Dawn Sturgess, and my thoughts and condolences go to her loved ones.
“Police and security officials are working urgently to establish the facts of this incident, which is now being investigated as a murder.
Earlier yesterday Home Secretary Sajid Javid visited cordons in Salisbury and Amesbury and thanked emergency staff. He said: “People want to know exactly how [the pair] came into contact with the nerve agent. I’m confident the police will find that out.”
Forensic investigators were searching the pair’s homes and drones have also scoured a sealed-off playground near where it is believed they came into contact with the substance.