Video: Girl of four ‘was alone for hours’ in Leeds house of horror

Bill Rattery said he watched as an ambulance driver carried the injured little girl out in his arms on Saturday after emergency services were called to the house on Kirkby Avenue, in Garforth.

Police found the bodies of Sarah Laycock, 31, and her eight-year-old daughter Abigail Miller after arresting Ms Laycock’s partner John Miller at a nature reserve several miles away.

Today, Mr Rattery, who lives across the street from the family’s home, told how he watched events unfold.

“Paramedics came first then the police just turned up mob-handed in vehicles with their flashing lights going,” he said.

“It seemed a long time before they got the little lass out but she seemed okay. The driver carried her out to the ambulance on his arm, I think she was wearing a little brown coat, then they got her in the ambulance and shot off.

“The lights were flashing as they carried her out and she was just looking around all the time. She wasn’t crying.”

Mr Rattery spoke of his concern that the four-year-old girl was alone in the house in the dark for a number of hours before being rescued.

He described the family as a “right happy family” who always said hello.

“I never heard a raised voice,” he said.

Another neighbour, Damian Dickinson, said he saw “stocky” plasterer Miller in a newsagents buying sweets for his children on Friday last week and said he seemed “happy as Larry”.

“If you’d have seen them, you would have said he doted on the kids,” he said.

But he added that he did not think Miller had worked much recently as a result of the economic downturn.

Paramedics were called to Fairburn Ings Nature Reserve, near Castleford, West Yorkshire, after a member of the public saw Miller, 36, struggling to walk, sources said.

Police were called after Miller had a row with the paramedics as they tried to treat him and officers later discovered the bodies of Ms Laycock, who was deputy headteacher at Wheldon Infant School in Castleford, and Abigail.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the four-year-old girl was taken to Leeds General Infirmary, where she was treated for minor injuries and later discharged.

The family’s pet dog - believed to be a cocker spaniel named Rex - is being looked after by family members.

Detectives were still waiting to question Miller today, as he remained under arrest in hospital.

A police spokesman said post-mortem examinations had taken place on Ms Laycock and Abigail but the cause of death would not be revealed until police had interviewed Miller.

A police cordon remained across the driveway of the family’s home and scenes of crime officers could be seen entering the house.

A police van was parked in front of the property and two community support officers stood at the cordon.

The headteacher at Ninelands Primary School in Garforth, where Abigail was a pupil, today said she was “devastated” by the news of the death of the girl, who she described as being a “delight to have in the school”.

A statement released by Wheldon Infant School said they were “shocked and saddened” about the death of Ms Laycock.

Jillian Sabourn, headteacher at Ninelands Primary School, said: “This news has been devastating for everyone here at the school.

“Abigail has been with Ninelands Primary School since nursery. She was an absolute delight to have in the school.

“Abigail was clever, enthusiastic, hard-working in every aspect of her work and a role model for other children. She particularly enjoyed PE and dance. Abigail was a thoughtful child who would regularly help other children.

“The school are absolutely devastated she will no longer be with us.”