Two held on suspicion of murder after girl, 6, dies at campsite

Paramedics were called just after midnight where they found the child “fitting”. She was taken to Southampton General Hospital but was pronounced dead.

A 30-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, both from Gosport in Hampshire, are being held in custody.

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service said the girl was “fitting and not breathing” when medics arrived at Holmsley campsite in Bransgore, Hampshire. “A double-manned ambulance was sent with an emergency care practitioner,” he said. “The child went into cardiac arrest and adrenalin was administered.”

The girl’s mother and father were reportedly giving her CPR when medical staff arrived.

Hampshire Police said officers were called to the site at 12.50am.

In a statement, the force said: “A 30-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, both from Gosport, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.”

Speaking at the scene, Sergeant Heather McNicol added: “Overnight we were called to Holmsley campsite after the death of a six-year-old girl. Police are treating the death as possibly suspicious because of the age of the little girl.”

The campsite confirmed some guests were still at the site yesterday as detectives examined the area.

Holmsley Caravan Park and Campsite has 600 pitches based on the land of a Second World War airfield on the edge of the New Forest.

The blue family tent where the incident took place remained sealed off by police.

One witness, who did not want to be named, said she was woken by the sound of screams and someone repeatedly pressing a car horn before police and paramedics arrived at the scene.

Sgt McNicol said: “When a six-year-old child is found, then initially we have to think it’s a suspicious death. But until there is a full post-mortem examination, we do not know what the cause of death was.

“There is a long way to go before we know if there’s any foul play. But whether it’s foul play or not, it’s a tragedy.”

A Hampshire Police spokeswoman said that the detained couple are still being interviewed and police are liaising with family members of the dead youngster.

Campers close to the incident were moved by police and the campsite is closed to new admissions, with those who have booked for the Easter holiday told not to come.

A woman at the entrance said: “We don’t really want to stay any more. The mood in the campsite is really sombre.”