Police call in regulator after mother and child die

Police were last night facing questions over their contact with a mother and her two-year-old daughter who were found shot dead in their home.

Detectives said that for two years they had been aware of a number of incidents involving the victims Christine Chambers, 38, Shania, and a man in custody, named locally as her partner, David Oakes, 50.

Officers were called to Ms Chambers' home in, Braintree, Essex at 3am yesterday where they found the bodies.

Ms Chambers' 10-year-old daughter had escaped the house and alerted family members, who called police.

A 50-year-old man is under guard in hospital where he is undergoing treatment for shotgun injuries which are not thought to be life-threatening. He has yet to be arrested, but police are not searching for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

It has been reported that Ms Chambers, known by friends as Chrissie, was in a dispute with Mr Oakes. A David Oakes and a Christine Chambers were listed to attend Chelmsford County Court yesterday for a family proceedings hearing, an official at the court confirmed.

As neighbours in Bartram Avenue claimed police could have prevented the tragedy, the Essex force said it had referred itself to the police watchdog, promising a "full and fundamental review of the circumstances surrounding this contact in order to ensure there is transparency".

Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge, head of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate, said: "There have been a number of incidents where contact between the man in custody and Chrissie Chambers have been referred to Essex Police over the course of the last two years."

He added: "If there are any mistakes or shortcomings we will not shirk our responsibilities. That is why we have voluntarily referred this matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission."