Epsom Faculty will reportedly shut till after the half-term break as police conduct a murder investigation after the headteacher was discovered useless alongside her husband and their daughter.
Emma Pattison, 45, was discovered useless together with her husband George Pattison, 39, and their seven-year-old daughter Lettie at their residence within the grounds of Epsom Faculty in Surrey on Sunday.
Based on the BBC, the appearing head, Paul Williams, introduced on Tuesday that the varsity will shut till after the half-term break following the “extremely distressing” particulars about how Emma Pattison died.
Surrey police mentioned George Pattison legally owned a gun that was found on the scene of the tragedy. On Tuesday, the power confirmed that officers have launched a murder investigation.
The deaths are being investigated as a potential murder-suicide.
In a letter to folks, the BBC reported that Williams mentioned: “Now’s a time for households to come back collectively and try to course of this surprising information.
“The influence in your youngsters can’t be underestimated and we’re doing the whole lot we probably can to assist them in no matter means they want.”
Emma Pattison had contacted a detailed relative with issues about her husband within the hours earlier than the killings, in line with a report within the Occasions, and once they arrived on the home they discovered all three family members useless.
Whereas a gun was discovered on the scene, the power mentioned causes of demise is not going to be confirmed till autopsy examinations are carried out later this week.
George Pattison had been in touch with Surrey police simply days earlier than the killings about his gun licence so as to change his deal with after the household moved to the varsity web site from Caterham.
An announcement from the power mentioned: “Because of the brief time period between that contact and this incident, now we have made a referral to the Impartial Workplace for Police Conduct.”
The IOPC mentioned it’s assessing the data out there to resolve if any additional motion is critical.
DCI Kimball Edey, senior investigating officer on the case, mentioned: “That is an extremely traumatic incident and we’re working across the clock to research and perceive the precise circumstances which led up to now.
“We perceive the general public concern and upset, and we’ll make clear what we are able to, once we can, whereas respecting the appropriate to a degree of privateness for the households of those that have misplaced their lives.”
Emma Pattison grew to become Epsom’s first feminine head in September 2022 after six years as headteacher of Croydon highschool in south London.
Boarding college students on the faculty pay greater than £42,000 a yr and its alumni embody the Conservative MP Sir Michael Fallon, the broadcaster Jeremy Vine and the comic Tim Vine.
George Pattison was a chartered accountant who was director of a administration consultancy known as Tanglewood 2016, in line with Corporations Home.
