Father of stabbed boy questioned

Ryan Hawkins died of multiple stab wounds

Detectives are continuing to question the father of a four-year-old boy who was stabbed to death at a house in West Yorkshire.

Ryan Hawkins died following Sunday's attack in Royd Street, Slaithwaite.

His 14-year-old sister Donna was also stabbed and remains in a serious but stable condition after surgery at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Police arrested Chris Hawkins, 47, on Sunday. A second man, aged 30, was freed without charge on Monday night.

A post-mortem examination revealed Ryan died of multiple stab wounds.

She (Donna Hawkins) was complaining she couldn't breathe, that she was going to die Waqar Zaman

His great-uncle, George Fellows, said the family was "devastated" by the attack.

He added the children's mother, Valerie Hawkins, was receiving counselling.

Det Supt Tim Forber, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We are currently building up a picture as to what happened to Ryan in the last moments of his life.

"It's absolutely tragic that a four-year-old boy has died in such circumstances."

Neighbours were alerted to the attack by the cries for help of Donna Hawkins.

Waqar Zaman, 34, owner of the nearby Hill Top Stores, helped the teenager by trying to stem the flow of blood from her wounds with his t-shirt.

He said: "She had a stab wound on her face which went straight through her mouth, she had stab wounds in her stomach just under her rib cage, all over the place.

"Her right arm was completely broken. She was complaining she couldn't breathe, that she was going to die."

Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward with information.