Couple quizzed over baby death

Jan 7 2008 by Lisa Jones, South Wales Echo

TWO people have been arrested over the death of a baby on a Cardiff housing estate.

A 31-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man from St Mellons are in custody and being interviewed by detectives.

They were arrested yesterday in connection with the death.

A smart, semi-detached house in Matthysens Way, a housing estate, off Harrison Drive, St Mellons, has been taped off and a tented area set up as police detectives and scenes of crime officers trawl the scene for evidence.

The tent, which is in front of a blue garage door, has a grey Vauxhall car under it, believed to be an Astra.

A single police officer was standing outside next to a police van in the quiet, suburban road early today.

Neighbour Luke Busuttil, 26, a sheet metal worker in Cwmbran, said: “I went out on Saturday evening to get petrol and I saw the van parked opposite at about 9pm.

“I though nothing of it until I went outside again at 5.30am yesterday and there was a police car parked outside.

“My wife said it was there all morning.

“Then about 1pm there was another police car.

“A policeman got out and knocked on the door and went into the house.

“Then about 8pm there was a lot of activity with the men in white suits.

“I‘ve only just heard what happened. It’s awful to think of a baby dying.”

Rodney Dorrell, 67, a retired quality manager, who has lived in the street for 10 years, said: “I saw the tent and police tape and that’s when I realised it must be something serious.

“The people who live there have been there a couple of years now.

“I remember her being pregnant.

There were several police cars in the street but I never imagined a baby had died. That’s terrible.”

A post-mortem examination is expected to take place today.

echo.newsdesk@mediawales.co.uk