‘Depressed’ mum held over death of her son aged seven
A MOTHER has been arrested on suspicion of killing her sevenyear-old son.
Charity shop worker Lesley Speed, 44, was held after Archie Spriggs was found dead at their home. Neighbours said she had been suffering from depression.
Emergency services were called to the three-bedroom semi-detached house near Church Stretton, Shropshire, at about 6pm on Thursday but were unable to revive Archie.
Miss Speed was found inside the property with ‘multiple, serious injuries’ to her neck and arm and taken to hospital by air ambulance. Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
A neighbour said she was in the middle of a custody battle with Archie’s father, from whom she is separated.
Last Friday, she posted a Facebook message which read: ‘The girl who seemed unbreakable, broke. She dropped a fake smile and whispered to herself, I can’t do this any more.’
She was also said to have been badly affected by the death of her father, David Speed, 75, last year. She had posted several messages on Facebook, apparently related to her loss.
One, from last year, read: ‘Those who think there is a time limit when grieving have never lost a piece of their heart.’
She lived with her partner, Darren Jones, a builder, in the village of Wall Under Heywood, four miles from Church Stretton.
She volunteers at a children’s hospice charity shop in the town, for which she has also been a regular fundraiser.
Locals said they were a ‘lovely family’ and said Archie would often play outside the house. His school paid tribute to the ‘wonderful, bubbly’ boy, who had just been given a headteacher’s award for ‘writing clear instructions on how to make an Anglo Saxon helmet’.
Miss Speed also has an older son, Zack Speed, 20, who is believed to have found his brother’s body. Neighbours in the quiet street were visibly shaken yesterday and watched as police continued investigations at the property, where a white tent had been erected at the front door.
Elisha Bytheray, who was staying across the road with her sister and nieces who go to the same school, said: ‘I am in shock, I can’t believe it. It is just awful. I saw them bring her out in a wheelchair, she was wrapped in a sheet or something.
‘They were fine neighbours, we never had any problems. My sister said the police had been round before but that was because she had some problems with her ex.
‘I think they were in the middle of a custody dispute, there was meant to be a court hearing yesterday apparently.’
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: ‘Archie used to come round and play football and Xbox with our kids.
‘I feel so sorry for his brother Zack. I understand he was the person who found Archie. They were very close. Zack doted on his little brother.
‘From what I’ve heard from people and parents at Archie’s school, Lesley suffered from depression.
‘Her father died last year and that affected her badly. I’ve been on her Facebook page and it looks like she got very low after that.
‘I always said hello to her. She always seemed friendly.’
Diane Pye, headteacher of Rushbury CE Primary School, in Church Stretton, where Archie was a pupil, said: ‘Archie was a wonderful, bubbly boy and a much loved member of our school.’