UPDATE: Epsom College head made distressed call to sister minutes before suspected murder-suicide

UPDATE: Epsom College head made distressed call to sister minutes before suspected murder-suicide

Epsom College head made distressed call to sister minutes before suspected murder-suicide

A distressed call was reportedly made to her sister just minutes before Emma Pattinson, the head of Epsom College, died in a suspected murder-suicide incident.

Wednesday, February 8 at 04:03am

Only minutes before she died in a suspected murder-suicide incident, Emma Pattison, the head of Epsom College, made a distressed call to her sister, Deborah Kirk. This was revealed exclusively by dailymail.co.uk. on the evening of Tuesday, February 7.

According to the news outlet, after receiving the call, Deborah and her husband urgently contacted relatives to inform them of Emma’s frantic call.

By the time the relatives arrived at the Surrey location, it would appear that Emma’s 39-year-old husband George – a licenced shotgun holder – had shot and killed both 45-year-old Emma and their seven-year-old daughter Lettie. It is believed he then turned the gun on himself and took his own life.

Wednesday, February 8 at 01:32am

The deaths of Emma Pattison, the head of Epsom College, along with her husband George, and seven-year-old daughter, Lettie, are now the subject of a murder investigation.

A statement from Surrey Police on its official Facebook page said: “The incident at an address within Epsom College in the early hours of Sunday, 5 February is now being treated as a homicide investigation”.

“Officers were called to the property at around 01:10hrs by the South East Coast Ambulance Service. On arrival, they found the bodies of three people who police are confident are Emma Pattison (45), her daughter Lettie (7), and her husband George (39). The deaths have been reported to the coroner for formal identification”.

“The family’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers. We ask that their privacy is respected at this difficult time. An investigation is being carried out to establish the full chronology and circumstances of the incident. At this stage, officers are confident there is no third-party involvement and there is no wider threat or risk to the community”.

“A firearm was found at the scene and has been recovered by officers, however, causes of death will not be confirmed until post-mortems have been completed later this week. We can confirm the firearm was licensed and registered to George Pattison”.

“We had contact with George on Thursday, 2 February after he notified us of a previous change of address, as is routine. Due to the short period of time between that contact and this incident, we have made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)”.

“We are aware of speculation regarding a firing range on the site. We can confirm this range does not form part of our scene or our inquiries. Any reporting to suggest otherwise is inaccurate”.

Detective Chief Inspector Kimball Edey, Senior Investigating Officer on the case, said: “This is an incredibly traumatic incident and we are working around the clock to investigate and understand the exact circumstances which led to this point”.

“We understand the public concern and upset, and we will clarify what we can, when we can, while respecting the right to a level of privacy for the families of those who have lost their lives”.

“We are cooperating fully with the IOPC in relation to the referral we have made, and we await the outcome of its assessment of what further action may be required. Until this has been completed, we will be unable to provide further details on a number of matters”

 “Inspector Jon Vale, Epsom and Ewell’s Borough Commander, said: “I know this incident has caused upset and sent shockwaves through the local community. Although we are confident that this incident was contained to one address, and there is no risk to the wider public I fully understand the concern this can and has caused members of our communities.

 “Therefore, the public can expect to see a heightened police presence in the local area in the coming days. If you are concerned about anything at all I’d urge you to approach an officer and discuss your concerns with them. They will be ready and happy to help you however they can”.

 “I would like to send my continued thanks to the school and our public for their understanding while the investigation progresses”.

Sunday, February 5 at 11:46pm

Surrey Police are investigating today, Sunday, February 5, after 45-year-old Emma Pattinson, the head of Epsom College, was discovered dead on the grounds of the £42,000 per year Surrey school. The bodies of her 39-year-old husband George, and seven-year-old daughter Lettie were alongside her.

According to the force, no third-party involvement is suspected and they believe this is an ‘isolated incident’, as reported by dailymail.co.uk.

‘On behalf of Surrey Police, my team, and I, I first want to express my sincerest condolences to the friends and family of Emma, Lettie and George, as well as to the students and staff of Epsom College, for their tragic loss”, said Detective Chief Inspector Kimball Edey.

He continued: ‘I want to give my assurance that we will conduct a thorough investigation into what took place last night, and hope to be able to bring some peace in these traumatic circumstances. I would ask that their privacy is respected at this very difficult time’.

Epsom and Ewell’s Borough Commander, Inspector Jon Vale, commented:  ‘We’re aware that this tragic incident will have caused concern and upset in the local community”.

‘While this is believed to be an isolated incident, in the coming days, our local officers will remain in the area to offer reassurance to students, parents, teachers, and the local community. I would like to thank the school and the community for their understanding and patience while the investigation continues’, he added.

‘On behalf of everyone at Epsom College, I want to convey our utter shock and disbelief at this tragic news’, said Dr Alastair Wells, Chair of the Board of Governors at Epsom College.

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Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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