Family of four found dead in Gibraltar flat

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-32121743

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A family of four has been found dead in a flat in Gibraltar, police in the British territory have said.

A 31-year-old British man, a 37-year-old Spanish woman, a girl aged four and another who was six weeks old were found in the Boschetti's Steps area.

Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) said an investigation was being conducted by serious crime officers but they were not looking for anyone else involved.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said it was looking into the reports.

RGP said officers were alerted to the incident at 11:35 local time (10:35 BST) after a member of staff from the apartment letting agency called at the property.

"They got no answer from within but noticed that the house was locked from inside and that sent a few alarm bells ringing and they decided to call the police," a spokesman said.

"At the moment what we are doing is trying to get as much background information from both the Spanish and the UK sides of the family."

He added the family had only been in Gibraltar for a few days.

"We are trying to discover if they were here in transit to the UK or whether they were planning on staying for any length of time in Gibraltar," he said.

'Total shock'

A Home Office forensic pathologist is expected to travel to Gibraltar in the next couple of days to carry out a post-mortem examination.

RGP said they were not looking for anyone else but encouraged anyone who may have any information to contact them.

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabiano Picardo adjourned parliament until Wednesday after receiving news of the deaths.

"As a husband and father, I - like no doubt all Gibraltarians and residents of Gibraltar - am in total shock to hear about this terrible crime," he said in a statement.

"Gibraltarians are not accustomed to witness this type of incident in our peaceful and law abiding community. Words will fail us all at a moment like this and all we can do is keep the victims and their families in our thoughts."