Suspect in mother and daughter murder probe ‘known to police’

Chrissie Chambers, 38, and her daughter Shania, two, were found dead at their home in Braintree, Essex, early yesterday.

A senior police officer said a “number of incidents” involving the suspect in the killings and Ms Chambers had been reported to police – amid claims from neighbours the tragedy could have been prevented.

Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge, head of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate, said her other daughter, aged 10, was able to flee the scene and alert family members who called police.

Mr Beautridge said a 50-year-old man was under guard in hospital after the shootings.

He is undergoing treatment for shotgun injuries which are not thought to be life-threatening.

Mr Beautridge said: “All people in this incident are known to each other.

“There have been an number of incidents where contact between the man in custody and Chrissie Chambers have been referred to Essex Police over the course of the last two years.”

Mr Beautridge said Essex Police had referred the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and there will be a “full and fundamental review of the circumstances surrounding this contact in order to ensure there is total transparency”.

The man in hospital, named locally as David Oakes, is believed to be Shania’s father. He had not yet been arrested, Mr Beautridge said yesterday. Officers said they were not searching for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

Mr Beautridge said: “I would like to pay credit to the daughter who left the premises, who I thought acted in an extremely brave manner in what must have been very, very difficult and traumatic circumstances for her.”

Essex Police’s firearms officers were called to the scene at 3am, Mr Beautridge said.

He said a shotgun had been recovered from the scene.

He said: “These are very, very tragic but fortunately rare incidents.

“The issue of domestic violence does blight the lives of so many, I am acutely aware of that which is why, nationally and here in Essex, we take these incidents so very, very seriously, and try to do something positive about it to stop the cycle of re-offending.”

Neighbours claimed police could have prevented the tragedy. There were dramatic scenes outside the house as a neighbour shouted at police: “You knew this was going to happen, you could have stopped it.”

The man was led away by officers.

Another neighbour, who declined to be named, said: “She had called the police before on several occasions and there had been a lot of problems in the past.

“Like everybody, she had her ups and downs and we knew there were problems. We knew she was worried about what might happen to her and it seemed she was living in fear.”

A David Oakes and a Christine Chambers were listed to attend Chelmsford County Court yesterday for a family proceedings hearing, a court official confirmed.

Ms Chambers had lived in the street of council houses for about eight years.

Neighbour Tony Challis said police spent about two hours negotiating with the man inside.

He added: “It was about 4.45am when we heard two gunshots from inside the house. We saw officers rushing through the door. Everybody was out on the street watching. We couldn’t believe what was happening.”

Another neighbour Karen Bathurst said the victim was a “great mother” and her daughter was a “lovely little girl”. “None of us can believe this has happened to them,” she said.