Police seize doorbell footage after ‘murder’ of five-year-old Logan: Man, 39, woman, 30, and boy, 13, are quizzed after boy – who had been isolating with his parents as he recovered from Covid – is found dead in a river just yards from his home
- Logan Williamson’s body was found in River Ogmore close to home in Sarn near Bridgend, South Wales
- Police arrest man, 39, woman, 30, and boy, 13, on suspicion of murder after the discovery on Saturday
- Neighbours say they were woken by screams from outside the family’s home on a terraced row of flats
A mother was heard screaming ‘the back door was open’ before a five-year-old boy was found dead at a river, neighbours have claimed as the child was named today as ‘funny and polite’ Logan Williamson.
South Wales Police have arrested a 39-year-old man, a 30-year-old woman and a 13-year-old boy on suspicion of murder after Logan’s body was found in the River Ogmore close to his home in the village of Sarn near Bridgend.
Officers are thought to have removed video footage from a doorbell camera on the exterior of his house, and friends revealed Logan and his family had been self-isolating for two weeks while recovering from Covid-19.
The fun-loving boy was reported missing at 5.45am on Saturday and there were fears he had walked out of his home to the nearby river, but police became suspicious after interviewing relatives. After saying specially trained officers were supporting the family, the force said three people were being held at separate police stations.
Social services have been called in because of the age of the youngest suspect, who is only three years within the age of criminal responsibility in the UK, which is ten. Officers are not looking for anyone else over the incident.
Neighbours said they were woken by screams from outside the family’s home on a terraced row of flats. One said: ‘I could hear the mum screaming for her son. She was shouting ‘the back door was open’ and calling for him.’
One mother described Logan, who was also known as Logan Mwangi, as ‘very smart’ and ‘happy’ – and told of the boy having a ‘smile that would light up the world’.
Logan was found dead in the river near Pandy Park where he loved to play with his friends. Police and forensic officers have been searching the scene after the boy was discovered in the water.
The day before the tragedy, Logan was said to have been seen kicking a football around with his stepfather on the patch of grass that separates their flat from the shallow river where he was found.
Scenes of crime officers were taking photographs both outside and in the property, which is a pebbledash former council house, and some material has been removed for forensic analysis.
Neighbours said the family had lived in the home for three years with Logan’s mother as the main occupier. But her fiancé also lived there and the couple had a baby daughter together in January last year.
There are eight posters in the downstairs widow of the property supporting the NHS and urging people to wash their hands and stay safe during the pandemic.
Logan’s best friend from school, a five-year-old girl, arrived at the scene with her tearful mother to lay a card saying ‘I love you’ on the heap of cuddly toys and flowers.
A five-year-old girl – who is said to have been Logan’s best friend – looks at the tributes with her mother in South Wales today
Tributes left in Pandy Park in Bridgend, South Wales, near to where the five-year-old boy was found dead
A woman leaves a Bart Simpson doll today at Pandy Park in Bridgend, South Wales, following the discovery
Tributes left in Pandy Park in Bridgend, South Wales, which have been placed there today in memory of Logan
Tributes left in Pandy Park in Bridgend, South Wales, today with one saying ‘fly high Logan’
Mourners are pictured next to the tributes left in Sarn near Bridgend this morning following the discovery over the weekend.
Police forensics officers are pictured this morning outside a pebbledash former council house in Sarn near Bridgend
A police diver comes out of the River Ogmore in Sarn near Bridgend today as officers continue their investigation
A police diver searches through the River Ogmore in Sarn today as South Wales Police officers remain at the scene
Her mother, who didn’t want to be named, said: ‘Logan was very smart, intelligent, happy and polite. He was in the same school as my daughter and for the last few weeks he had Covid and was self isolating. He was lovely – he had a smile that would light up the world.’
Logan was in a nursery class at Brynmenyn Primary School in Bridgend where he was loved by pupils and staff.
Mother Lois Shepherd, 25, left a cuddly toy baby shark chosen by daughter Maisie-Rae, four. She said: ‘I’m just shocked and gobsmacked – the is such a small community everyone is feeling the pain of what happened.’
Messages left at the river bank include: ‘Fly high Logan, sending love and kisses,’ ‘RIP angel’ and ‘Thinking of you.’
A mother of two who drove two miles to the scene said through tears: ‘I didn’t know the little boy and his family but I felt I had to come. It’s so sad, I can’t comprehend what the family is going through.’
The murder investigation has shocked the community and police say they understand locals want answers about how Logan died.
Police forensics officers walk along a footpath in Sarn near Bridgend in South Wales today
Local people pay their respects in Sarn near Bridgend today following the death of five-year-old Logan on Saturday
local woman lays flowers and a soft toy in Sarn near Bridgend, South Wales, this morning
Forensic officers at the scene in the Sarn area of Bridgend today, near to where the five-year-old boy was found dead
Floral tributes and teddy bears have been left in Sarn today following the incident on Saturday
A police officer outside a house in Sarn today where posters supporting the NHS are seen
They have appealed for information from anyone who has information about the hours leading up to his tragic death.
Tributes have been made to the youngster, who loved Teletubbies and the Lion King, with flowers, teddy bears and other cuddly toys laid at the riverside park.
Family friend Rhiannon Hales said on Facebook: ‘He was a beautiful boy. He was kind, funny, polite, handsome and clever. He is loved unconditionally and has unfortunately lost his life.’
Another friend in Sarn, Bridgend, said: ‘Logan was the cutest kid, always smiling and a real bundle of energy. Everyone is in a complete state of shock, we just can’t make sense of what has happened.’
Local school mothers asked people to pay their respects by placing teddy bears at a lamp post and footbridge in the park close to where Logan was found.
Police forensics officers at a house in Sarn near Bridgend today as the investigation continues
A police car is pictured at a footpath leading to the River Ogmore in Sarn near Bridgend today
Police are seen after Logan was found dead in the Ogmore River, near Pandy Park in Bridgend
Officers were called at 5.45am on Saturday and the boy’s body was found in the River Ogmore
A South Wales Police spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that following reports of concerns for a missing five-year-old boy in Sarn, Bridgend, and the subsequent finding of the body in the Ogmore River near Pandy Park, three people have been arrested.
‘A 39-year-old male, 30-year-old female and 13-year-old male, all from the Bridgend area, have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in police custody. We are not looking for anyone else in relation to this incident.’
Chief Inspector Geraint White said: ‘This is a tragic incident in which a young child has sadly lost their life. We are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or who has any information, to get in touch.
‘We would ask the public not to speculate about this incident on social media as this is an active investigation. If you have any information that can help, please report this to us. Our thoughts are with the family and we are supporting them in every way we can.’
Mr White said ‘regular contact’ has been made with the boy’s family, who are being supported by specialist trained officers.
Tributes and teddy bears left near the scene following the boy’s death in South Wales
Large parts of Pandy Park in Sarn were sealed off as police forensics teams carried out a serch
Police are appealing for anyone with information about the incident to come forward
