Two arrests over pregnant woman’s death

● Baby delivered at murder scene after mother’s ‘horrific’ stabbing in house

Detectives investigating the murder of a heavily pregnant woman who was stabbed to death, leaving her baby critically ill in hospital, have made a second arrest.

The 26-year-old victim, who was eight months pregnant and found with stab injuries at the scene in south London, has been named by the Metropolitan Police as Kelly Mary Fauvrelle.

Scotland Yard said a 29-yearold man had been arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday and remains in police custody.

A 37-year-old man who was also arrested on suspicion of murder on the same day has been released under investigation pending further inquiries.

With the force stating officers “retain an open mind to any motive”, a detective has described the crime as a “horrific incident”.

At around 3:30am on Saturday, police were called to reports of a woman in cardiac arrest at a house in Raymead Avenue, Thornton Heath, Croydon.

Ms Fauvrelle died at the scene, where her baby was delivered by the London Ambulance Service.

The newborn remains in hospital in a critical condition, Scotland Yard said.

Medics fought to save the mother after an air ambulance, two ambulance crews and two response cars were sent to the scene.

The force said the woman’s next of kin had been informed but formal identification had yet to take place. A post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

Forensics teams were still investigating the murder scene yesterday as the force confirmed a second arrest had been made.

Specialist investigators could be seen swabbing surfaces in an alleyway running along the side of the house while police officers guarded a cordon at the front of the property.

Reacting to the murder on Twitter, London mayor Sadiq Khan said: “Violence against women is endemic in society and devastating murders in the home, like this one, show the scale of the problem we face.

“My prayers are with this innocent child, and with the mother it has so tragically lost.”

Neighbours said that three women, one of whom was pregnant, lived at the house and they had a small dog.

One neighbour said she had got up at about 3.30am to pray when she heard a dog barking at the house, which is two doors down.

Declining to be named, she said she was “shocked and surprised” to hear about the attack.

Police are also investigating three other deaths across London over the weekend, including a man in his 20s or 30s who died after arriving at a hospital suffering from stab injuries.

Police were called at 4:51pm yesterday to reports of a fight at Sutherland Walk, in Walworth, central London, but when they arrived no victim could be found.

The victim is believed to be the man who self-presented at hospital, who was treated for serious injuries but died at 7:23am.