Neighbours' shock over toddler's death

Flowers and toys left outside the house on Oak Tree Crescent

With clinical efficiency, specialist police teams carry out detailed examinations of the house where a two-year-old girl was murdered.

But in the surrounding streets raw emotions pour out from shocked neighbours and friends as an ordinary Leeds estate takes in a child's death.

Neighbour Kieran Jackson, 23, said: "They were just like any normal happy family. They are just a lovely family.

"We are all shocked but we all pulled together last night.

"It's sickening, isn't it? It knocks you out. Nothing like this has ever happened around here before.

"This is the best street in the estate."

Bunches of flowers and teddy bears were left outside the three-bedroom council home in Oak Tree Crescent, Gipton, where a red plastic bus could still be seen in the front garden.

One message read: "Missing you so much already, you will always be in my heart. Love you millions, Aunty Zoe."

Another card, attached to a bouquet of flowers, had: "Casey XX. A little smiler, up with the angels. RIP. From all at 14."

While another included the message: "A little angel, rest in peace. Lots of love, Angela, Molly, Peter, Aaron."

Near neighbour Keith Beaumont, 58, said all the residents were pulling together.

A teddy bear with a message to a "little angel" left outside the house

Describing the events of Sunday night, he said: "There was a lot of commotion going on, and a lot of shouting. There were lads banging at the window, shouting and carrying on.

"The police and paramedics came and there was an ambulance. They brought the baby out and she was looking very ill."

He said he had talked to Sarah Pringle, who lives next door to the murdered girl and who tried to resuscitate her.

"She did her very best. She tried to revive the little girl.

He said Ms Pringle, who has a four-year-old daughter of her own, was good friends with Casey's family and had been to his house on Sunday night. He said she was "absolutely distraught".

Speaking of Casey, he said: "She was a lovely little girl. She was an angel, always smiling and waving over. She will be very sadly missed."

The secretary of the residents' association, Terry Beaumont, brother of Keith, said nothing like this had ever happened before in the local area. He said it was "just unbelievable".

"They were a lovely family, it's just a shock for everybody."