Police to question mum after children stabbed to death

Theresea Riggi, 46, was understood to be in intensive care this morning after plunging 40ft from the terraced house in Slateford Road.

The bodies of twin brothers Luca and Austin, 8, and their sister Cecilia, five, were found covered in blood in the same room of the modern three-storey home.

The grim discovery came after emergency services were called out to the house following reports of a gas explosion just before 3pm yesterday.

Before they arrived neighbours had pleaded in vain with the sobbing Mrs Riggi not to jump. One eyewitness said Mrs Riggi screamed "my children, my children" before jumping.

Police have confirmed they are treating the incident as a criminal investigation. Mrs Riggi, from Skene, Westhill, Aberdeen was involved in a bitter divorce from husband Pasquale Riggi and had previously gone missing with the children.

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Detective Superintendent Alan Jones, of Lothian and Borders Police, said today that officers wanted to speak to Mrs Riggi as soon as possible.

He said: "We hope to be able to do that.

"She's not in a position to speak to us at the moment.

"She's stable at present, but we will take advice from clinicians and obviously take account of the investigation as it progresses.

"But the intention would be speak to her as soon as possible to try to find out the true background to what events have been."

The detective said police broke the "tragic news" to the children's father, Pasquale Riggi, 46, yesterday.

He added: "He's with us at the moment, helping us with our inquiries and providing us with some invaluable detail about the background of the family.

"In response to that missing persons report, the family were traced to that address in Edinburgh.

"Police had dealings with Mrs Riggi and the children at that time.

"So, yes, we were indeed involved with family around July 21."

Mr Jones appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

He said: "The family have been there from the start of July.

"I'm very keen for anyone who has knowledge of the family or who has knowledge of their movements to get in touch with the police in order that we can get a fuller picture of what their movements have been while they've been in the Edinburgh area."

Worried residents had called police, ambulance and fire crews to the house after smelling gas. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion just before emergency services arrived, and on arrival firefighters extinguished a small blaze on the first floor.

They then discovered the horrific scene inside the house, and a source close to the investigation said: "As soon as they entered the building they knew it was a criminal matter. They saw blood on the children.

"There were no normal signs of a gas explosion."

The source added: "There was a small fire at the house, but it is believed the fire could have been set to try and get rid of the criminal evidence."

Mrs Riggi was rushed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where she remained today. She is believed to have suffered serious injuries.

One neighbour said he had watched Riggi plunge from the balcony after a handyman discovered the chilling scene inside,

The 21 year old said: "I saw her on the balcony. I went into the house and there was a smell of gas. A handyman who was with me went upstairs and I went outside.

"When the handyman came back out again he was crying. I don't know what he saw - and I don't want to know."

Forensic officers continued investigations at the new-build Canal Point development last night and were seen removing bags of evidence. Officers also began searching garages in the development while floodlights were set up to allow work to continue throughout the night.

The police cordon still sealed off the estate on Slateford Road this morning.

Rush hour traffic slowed in both directions as motorists looked at the scene.

Three bunches of flowers had been placed within the cordon.

One, signed by 'an Edinburgh taxi driver', read: 'Gone too soon Luca, Austin and Cecilia, you are in God's loving arms now'.

Police officers spoke to residents who emerged to go to work and diverted traffic round the gathered media.

It is understood that officers had been searching for the mother and her children after she fled her home in Aberdeen with her children in July. She and husband Pasquale Riggi were involved in a bitter divorce. After a search involving four police forces she was found with the children in Edinburgh on July 21.

Yesterday's horrific incidents came just 24 hours after a Court of Session judge said the children should be supervised until the divorce was agreed.

Judge Lady Clark had heard on Tuesday that Mrs Riggi and the youngsters were missing again, and David Jack, counsel for Mr Riggi, asked for an order to safeguard the children's interests, saying: "I think there is a real emergency in this matter."

Police said they were unable to confirm or deny a suggestion that they had earlier been called to a disturbance at the Slateford Road property.

Large swathes of police tape was put up around the scene while Slateford Road was sealed off between an aqueduct near Pentland Land Rover and a rail bridge near Slateford train station.

The ambulance headquarters in South Queensferry first took a call at 2.56pm alerting them to a woman jumping from the building, on the site of the old Marco's Leisure Centre, followed by reports of the explosion during the same call. An ambulance crew already heading to a 999 call was immediately diverted to the scene and arrived within four minutes.

A fleet of other ambulances, including a special response team, followed as a major incident was declared.

Three fire engines also arrived from nearby Sighthill fire station.

A two-man crew wearing breathing apparatus was deployed to put out the small blaze which had taken hold. Gas supplies to the area were sealed off and neighbours evacuated as engineers carried out safety checks.

Zane Harvey, 28, who works at the nearby Asda Chesser supermarket, was believed to be the only tenant left in the building during the drama.

He said he saw a woman lying face-up on the concrete surrounded by about five shocked residents.

He saw smoke coming from the balcony door but no shattered glass.

"I realised she must have jumped out the balcony straight on to the road below.

"Within minutes seven ambulance vehicles came and I lost count of the police cars.

"She got lifted into the back of the ambulance and taken away. "

Mr Harvey said that the three-storey townhouses, built by Edinburgh firm Kirkton Developments, are all identical, with gas and boiler controls located in the ground-floor garage.

He added: "If there's been an explosion, that's where it's happened.

"She's jumped out the floor above but there's no visible damage apart from the smoke."

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "A criminal investigation is currently under way and nothing more can be said at this time into the circumstances which led to their deaths."