Police investigation launched after boy, 12, dies at home
Police investigation launched after boy, 12, dies at home
Police were called to an address in Castleford, West Yorkshire, after paramedics raised concerns over the welfare of a child last night - but the boy was later pronounced dead
The boy was found on Manor Grove in Castleford
An inquiry is underway following the discovery of a 12-year-old-boy's body. Emergency services rushed to the scene after paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service expressed concerns about a child's welfare at a property in Castleford, Yorkshire, on Friday evening.
Despite the paramedics' swift response and the best efforts of medical staff, the boy sadly passed away after being taken to hospital. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here .
According to West Yorkshire Police, the boy's death is not being treated as suspicious.
In a statement, the force explained: "Police were called by ambulance colleagues to an address in Manor Grove, Castleford, at 6.06pm yesterday (27/6) following reports of concern for the safety of a child.
"Officers attended the location and the boy was taken to hospital where it was later confirmed that he had died."
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"Enquiries are ongoing on behalf of the West Yorkshire Coroner to establish exactly what happened. The incident is not being treated as suspicious."
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Her death marked the start of Griffiths' sick killing spree - and for police, the nightmare was just beginning. Shelley Armitage was just 31, and described as bright, ambitious, and dreaming of modelling and a life beyond Bradford's streets. Friends say she "could have been a beautiful model" and had a bubbly personality. But a spiral of heroin and alcohol addiction drew her into sex work. On April 26, 2010, she was last seen on CCTV walking along Rebecca Street in Bradford's red light district . She disappeared after leaving her flat in Allerton with a friend and never returned home . Her boyfriend, Robert Preston, filed a missing persons report two days later. Again, several police appeals were launched with investigators pleading with the public for help to locate Shelley. Griffiths had lured Shelley to his flat under the pretence of sex, then tied her up in his bathtub while filming the ordeal on his phone, police later revealed. Mobile phones retrieved from his home showed images of Shelley's naked, dead body with the words: "My sex slave" written on her. Another video showed a nude body that had been bound. Griffith provided vile commentary describing himself as a "bloodbath artist". The murderer showed no remorse when detectives sat him down in the interview room. He was calm, collected and even smug as he detailed his horrific crimes. He confessed that Susan was killed with a hammer. He then dismembered her body with machine tools, he said. 16 Police divers in the River Aire made several gruesome discoveries Credit: Amazon Prime 16 Human remains belonging to Suzanne and Shelley were found in the water Credit: Amazon Prime Griffiths also claimed he cooked and ate part of her flesh. In one shocking moment, he described eating the flesh of his victims as "part of the magic". He admitted to killing Shelley with a crossbow and dismembering her in the bath. He informed detectives that they would find traces of her body on the cooker in his home. He recalled butchering Suzanne Blamires with a crossbow. After divulging the information, he stopped talking to the cops, letting them know that to become a serial killer, he only needed to kill three people. Investigators quickly started piecing together a sinister motive - Griffith was after notoriety and infamy. He wanted to surpass his idol, serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. In the documentary, his sister says: "He once told me as well that if he couldn't be famous, he would be infamous. And that if I was famous and was more famous than him, he would find me and kill me." Crossbow Cannibal 16 When asked his name in court, Griffiths chillingly said he was the 'Crossbow Cannibal' Credit: Amazon Prime 16 Griffiths was given a whole life order in December 2010 Credit: Amazon Prime When Griffiths first appeared in Bradford Crown Court on June 25, 2010, the room fell into stunned silence. He stood in the dock, unshaven, wearing a grey prison sweatshirt. When asked to confirm his name, he chillingly replied: "I am the Crossbow Cannibal." It was the first time the public heard the nickname, a vile moniker he had clearly chosen for himself, designed to terrify. Griffiths showed no remorse throughout the proceedings. The evidence against him was overwhelming, with CCTV footage and forensic evidence from his flat playing a crucial role. Cops also had the phone video he filmed of himself tormenting Shelley Armitage in the bath, and remains recovered from the River Aire. He once told me as well that if he couldn't be famous, he would be infamous. And that if I was famous and was more famous than him, he would find me and kill me Caroline Griffiths In addition, blood samples from all three women were retrieved from his apartment, which was called a slaughterhouse in the media. He was charged with three counts of murder and pleaded guilty to each one. At his trial, the court heard how he had targeted vulnerable women working in Bradford's red light district, luring them into his home before murdering and dismembering them. In December 2010, Mr Justice Openshaw, sentencing Griffiths to a whole life order, told him: "You are a very dangerous man and in my judgment you should never be released from prison." Griffiths showed no reaction. He stood still and silent, not even looking at the victims' families who sat weeping just metres away. He was sent to Wakefield Prison, among some of Britain's most notorious killers. In November last year, Griffiths was attacked in prison by one of Suzanne Blamires' friends who was also incarcerated. 'Worst fears' 16 Suzanne was from a good family, but turned to drugs and prostitution after falling on hard times Credit: 16 Shelley's family says she was on the verge of turning her life around before the murder Credit: Today, Griffiths' sister only has one question - why. She says: "I just want to ask him why, probably. Why did he do this, and who are you? I'd probably tell him that I loved him as well. People might be shocked to hear that, but he's my brother. My big brother." Christa Ackyord says the attention must always be brought back to Griffiths' victims and their families. She explains: "For their families, they were people that they loved. People that they tried to help. People that they were desperately worried about. And their worst fears came true. "And they ended up meeting a psychopath. A cold-hearted killer who wanted to be famous."
