Woman Arrested on Suspicion of Murder After Girl, 2, and Boy 3, Are Found Dead Inside Home By Escher Walcott

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two toddlers were found dead at a home in England.

At around 7:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, Oct. 12, police responded to a property on Corporation Street in the town of Stafford and found two children dead inside, the Staffordshire Police said in a news release.

The youngest, Meraj Ul Zahra, was aged 2, and the elder, Abdul Momin Alfaateh, was 3 years old, per the BBC and U.K. newspaper The Times. Both were found injured and unresponsive, police said.

“We were called to a home on Corporation Street by colleagues from West Midlands Ambulance Service,” the police said. The two children were pronounced dead at the scene, they confirmed.

“Their next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers at this tragic time,” said police.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) was first called to the home at 7:26 a.m. and sent two ambulances and two paramedic officers to the scene, per a news release.

“On arrival of ambulance staff we discovered two patients, both children,” a WMAS spokesman said. “Sadly, it quickly became apparent nothing could be done to save them and they were confirmed dead at the scene.”

A 43-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the children’s deaths and remains in custody, said police. Her identity has not been shared at this time.

“We are working hard to understand more about what happened leading up to these two children tragically losing their lives,” Detective Inspector Kirsty Oldfield said in a statement. “We ask that people do not speculate at this stage as it is distressing for family and friends and could hinder our enquiries.”

Oldfield added that there “is no wider threat to the public,” following the suspect’s arrest. A cordon remains in place at the scene.

The incident was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), police confirmed.

The IOPC said in a statement to the BBC, “We were notified by Staffordshire Police of the death of two children in Stafford on Sunday, Oct. 12, where there was recent police contact prior to their death. We understand a referral is being made by the force, which once received, we will assess before deciding whether further action may be required by us.”

A neighbor told The Times that they saw a surviving child being carried to a police car by officers as his “distraught” father looked on.

Another neighbor, Luke Browne, 61, told the outlet he saw a forensic van and a police car outside the home as he left for work. “It’s very sad. Children dying is a horror. It’s quite painful to hear it. I’ve only lived there a year but everybody I’ve met has been lovely,” he added.

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The police are asking anyone with any information that could help the investigation to contact them.

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PEOPLE has contacted the IOPC and Staffordshire Police for comment.