LONDON—Two people were stabbed to death in separate incidents in London on June 29, including a woman who was about eight months pregnant, police said.
Police were called to an address in south London at 3:30 a.m., where they found a wounded 26-year-old pregnant woman. Her baby was delivered at the scene, taken to hospital and was in a critical condition.
Pregnant woman stabbed to death in London named locally, second man arrested https://t.co/Hfq0fXlKJX pic.twitter.com/CEerFeQg6W
— Independent.ie (@Independent_ie) June 30, 2019
Late on Saturday night, police were informed of an incident in the east of the British capital and found a man suffering from stab injuries. The man, believed to be in his late-20s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incidents appeared to be unrelated.
A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the murder of the woman, while police were seeking more information about the second stabbing.
“This is a horrific incident in which a young mother has lost her life and her child is critically ill,” Detective Chief Inspector Mick Norman said.
The eight months pregnant victim of a fatal stabbing in Croydon on Friday night has been named as Kelly Mary Fauvrelle, 26 https://t.co/nA61Kebpwo
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 30, 2019
“Our sympathies go out to her devastated family; they are being supported by specially trained officers following this awful event, and I would ask that they are left alone at this time as they come to terms with the enormity of what has happened,” he said.
Chandra Mutucumarana, a neighbor, said he was “utterly shocked” and neighbors are “upset for her but hopeful for the child,” the BBC reported.
“Being a mum was all she dreamed about,” her aunt, Rosa, told the Telegraph. “When she found out she was pregnant, I think that really lifted her spirits.
Kelly Mary Vauvrelle: Pregnant woman killed in Croydon named https://t.co/7Vp0sJVgjz
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) June 30, 2019
According to official statistics, there were 285 fatal stabbings in England and Wales in 2018, the highest level since records began more than 70 years ago.
Politicians React
Shaun Bailey, a Conservative London mayoral candidate, wrote on Twitter: “Please God let this child survive. Please let this baby’s family come together to free it from this most heinous arrival to our world.”
Please God let this child survive.
Please let this baby’s family come together to free it from this most heinous arrival to our world.Please let the @metpoliceuk bring this human stain to justice.
Our thoughts are with the family.???????? https://t.co/ZOuyewxDwG
— Shaun Bailey (@ShaunBaileyUK) June 29, 2019
London mayor Sadiq Khan wrote on Twitter: “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.”
Khan’s statement comes after President Donald Trump blasted the mayor for the upswing in violence in London.
LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster – will only get worse! https://t.co/n7qKI3BbD2
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2019
“LONDON needs a new mayor ASAP. Khan is a disaster – will only get worse!” Trump tweeted in early June. Trump later said in another tweet that Khan “is a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London!”
Reuters and Epoch Times reporter Jack Philips contributed to this report.