A double murder suspect allegedly knifed his partner and her ‘football mad’ autistic nine-year-old son to death yesterday – but his own 10-month old boy was discovered in the property unharmed.
Daniel Boulton, 29, was arrested at a farm at lunchtime on Tuesday after an off-duty officer was stabbed at a nearby country park. The suspect in the attack allegedly failed in an attempt to hijack a car.
Lincolnshire Police had earlier issued an appeal for information about the suspect’s whereabouts after the deaths of Bethany Vincent, 26, and her son Darren ‘DJ’ Henson, nine. Their bodies were found at her home in the market town of Louth on Monday evening.
Both had suffered multiple stab wounds. The child had been dropped off at the address by his father, Kieran Henson, 28, on Monday afternoon, following a trip to stay with his grandmother for the weekend.
Distraught Michelle Sanders fought back tears yesterday as she paid tribute to her ‘football mad’ grandson. Speaking at her home in Earlsdon, Coventry, Mrs Sanders, 47, said: ‘It’s surreal that Darren was with me 24 hours ago and now he is gone.
‘He was a happy child with a kind heart. We all thought the world of him. Kieran brought him down to visit for the weekend after school on Friday… Kieran dropped him home with his mum at 4pm [on Monday] and by 8pm this had happened – they were dead.’
She added: ‘Darren was a Chelsea fan but he liked all football. We watched them in the Champions League final together on Saturday night and I was deaf by the end of it because he was cheering so much.’
Last night, Louth residents launched a fundraising campaign to cover the cost of Miss Vincent’s and Darren’s funeral.
A post on the GoFundMe page says: ‘Let’s help support this family. Louth is a small town. You may not know the family as I don’t but we can all say we can all sympathise with the family.’
Mr Henson met Miss Vincent after moving to her home county of Lincolnshire. The couple split up when Darren – who was severely autistic according to Mr Henson’s friends – was young, but remained on friendly terms.
Miss Vincent started a relationship with Boulton, from Skegness, and gave birth to their own son last year, but they had since separated. The ten-month-old baby was found unharmed at the home on Monday, police confirmed.
Lincolnshire Police had earlier issued an appeal for information about the suspect’s whereabouts after the deaths of Bethany Vincent, 26, and her son Darren Henson, nine (pictured together). Their bodies were found at her home in the market town of Louth on Monday evening
Kieran Henson met Miss Vincent after moving to her home county of Lincolnshire. The couple split up when Darren (pictured with his mother) – who was severely autistic according to Mr Henson’s friends – was young, but remained on friendly terms
Both had suffered multiple stab wounds. The child (pictured) had been dropped off at the address by his father, Kieran Henson, 28, on Monday afternoon, following a trip to stay with his grandmother for the weekend
Distraught grandmother Michelle Sanders fought back tears yesterday as she paid tribute to her ‘football mad’ grandson (pictured). Speaking at her home in Earlsdon, Coventry, Mrs Sanders, 47, said: ‘It’s surreal that Darren was with me 24 hours ago and now he is gone’
Daniel Boulton was arrested in Louth, Lincolnshire, hours after police launched an extensive manhunt. Pictures showed Boulton being arrested by two police officers who escorted him from a woodland area (pictured)
Her neighbours in Louth said she moved into a terrace home in the area at the start of the first coronavirus lockdown last year.
Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Cox said his officers had arrived at a ‘particularly devastating scene’ with both victims found dead.
He added that the surviving child was ‘only about one years old and is in care at the moment’.
Shane Marshall, 18, and his partner Niamh Ismay, 17, who live two doors away, said they heard a baby screaming on Monday night before armed police descended and warned them to stay indoors.
Mr Marshall said: ‘We were terrified. The police said they couldn’t tell us much but they said, ‘As you can see, it’s very, very serious’.’
Boulton was spotted by an off-duty police officer in the Hubbard’s Hills country park on the edge of the town yesterday morning after the force issued a public appeal for information about his whereabouts.
The officer was allegedly stabbed after confronting the suspect, who then fled as armed police and a force helicopter were drafted in.
Detective Chief Superintendent Cox said: ‘The policeman is receiving hospital treatment with relatively minor injuries. We’re really, really proud of what he did.’
Boulton is then believed to have crossed the Louth bypass which borders the park, before making his way over fields to a farm complex, where he allegedly attempted to hijack a waiting car.
The female motorist escaped by activating her central locking and drove away before dialling 999.
Officers tracked the suspect to a nearby farm building where Boulton was arrested.
He was barefoot and wearing badly torn tracksuit bottoms.
Police confirmed Boulton had been arrested in connection with the deaths, and also with the injuries suffered by a police officer in Hubbard’s Hills.
Ms Vincent’s father Darren has received an outpouring of sympathy online as wellwishers offered support following the loss of his daughter and grandson.
Armed police were seen at Hallington House Farm on the outskirts of Louth, Lincolnshire, after a man was detained
Armed police were seen walking around Hallington House Farm prior to the arrest of murder suspect Boulton
Forensic officers on scene after Daniel Boulton was arrested nearby hours after police launched an extensive manhunt
Officers had been hunting Daniel Boulton, who is sought in connection with the deaths of a woman and her nine-year-old son
Forensic officers at Hallington House Farm on the outskirts of Louth, Lincolnshire, after a man was detained by officers
The suspect was wearing no shoes or socks, ripped tracksuit bottoms, an Adidas T-shirt and a Nike jacket when he was arrested at a farm in Hallington, near Louth
Police denied earlier reports that a second young child at the property had been abducted.
Officers rushed to the scene on Monday night after receiving a call from paramedics.
Despite the best efforts of emergency services, Miss Vincent and Darren were pronounced dead at the scene.
A neighbour near the scene of where the suspect was arrested spoke of how the man ‘hammered’ on the window of a fellow local’s car before yelling ‘let me in, let me in’.
Boulton (pictured) was arrested in Louth, Lincolnshire
The witness said: ‘(The neighbour) is so shook up, she fortunately had the central locking on and managed to drive off before calling police.
‘Police found him in one of the farm buildings but they are still looking for something.’
Armed officers and several police vehicles were involved in the arrest at a farm in Hallington, near Louth, yesterday.
Two officers in high-vis jackets escorted a man into a police van around the back of a farm building.
He was wearing no shoes or socks, ripped tracksuit bottoms, an Adidas T-shirt and a Nike jacket.
Officers began conducting door-to-door inquiries around the area and searching fields behind the farm buildings shortly after the suspect’s arrest.
Forensic officers could also be seen entering the property in High Holme Road on Tuesday, where floral tributes were left outside.
Detective Chief Superintendent Cox, added: ‘This has been a tragic, extraordinary, and worrying set of circumstances in equal measure.
‘A woman and child have lost their lives in the most devastating way and I know that their loved ones will be feeling the magnitude of that today and our thoughts go out to them.
‘We have also seen communities in Louth, and indeed further afield, who will undoubtedly have been anxious about the possible danger in the town since last night.
‘To all of you I want to say thank you. You have been listening to our safety advice and sharing our appeals, all of which has helped us to do our job to the best of our ability.
Boulton is believed to have attacked an off-duty police officer in the market town yesterday. The officer suffered non-life threatening injuries. Pictured: Police at the scene
Armed officers and several police vehicles were involved in the arrest at a farm in Hallington, near Louth. Two officers in high-vis escorted a man into a police van around the back of a farm building
A police officer is seen accepting flowers from a local who wished to pay tribute to the mother and son who died last night
Forensic officers were seen moving sheets of plastic near to flower tributes laid by locals. Several neighbours rushed to pay tribute
It came hours after the 26-year-old woman – believed to be Boulton’s partner – and her nine-year-old son were found dead at an address around 8.30pm last night (police at the scene yesterday)
A forensic officer is seen clutching a bag of evidence at the scene of the stabbing in Louth
Forensic officers are seen at the scene yesterday. A knife believed to have been used to inflict the injuries was recovered at the scene
The victims both suffered multiple stab wounds, Lincolnshire Police confirmed (police pictured at the scene)
A tribute was left at the scene yesterday with the words ‘in our thoughts and prayers’ on a card attached to a bouquet of flowers
A teddy bear left at the scene of a double murder in High Holme Road, Louth, in Lincolnshire where police remain on scene
A police officer places a tribute at the scene where a 26-year-old mother and her son were found dead on Monday
‘I also want to thank our officers and other Emergency Services colleagues. The first responders last night were met with an unimaginable scene and reacted with professionalism to ensure we do what’s right by the victims, and that’s not a situation you can ever really prepare fully for.
‘Our off-duty officer today showed how you’re never really off shift and how our staff will always do their very best to protect the public. A thank you doesn’t really cover it, and we wish him a speedy recovery.
‘Finally, to all the officers and staff who have been involved in this challenging job overnight and into today, thank you for your ongoing commitment and professionalism.
‘There is still a lot to do and now the work starts to understand exactly what has happened here and how.’
Police were seen walking along the road where a woman and child were found dead yesterday
Officers rushed to the scene (a police cordon at the house, pictured) after receiving a call from paramedics
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