6-Year-Old Girl and Father Found Dead in West Calder Home After She Misses School
Mark Gordon/Facebook
The bodies of a six-year-old girl and her 36-year-old father were discovered in a home in West Calder, Scotland after the child failed to show up at school, police reported. Authorities have stated there is no evidence to suggest the involvement of anyone else in the incident.
The tragic discovery was made on Monday afternoon when officers entered the property on Harburn Drive with the assistance of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The deceased has been identified as Mark Gordon and his daughter, Hope. Their deaths are being treated as unexplained, and post-mortem examinations are scheduled to take place this week.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Chief Superintendent Gregg Banks explained the sequence of events leading to the discovery. “Police Scotland responded to what we class as a ‘concern for’ call on Monday, January 25,” he said.
“That call related to concern from a family member around their child failing to attend school.” Police inquiries led officers to the property, where they forced entry and found the bodies. Hope had reportedly been staying with her father under an arrangement of shared custody between her parents.
Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson, of the major investigation team, extended condolences to the family, who are being supported by specialist officers. “Our thoughts remain with the man and girl’s relatives at this extremely difficult time,” he said. “They are understandably devastated, and it is vital we get answers for them.”
While the investigation is ongoing, Chief Superintendent Banks urged the public to refrain from speculating about the circumstances surrounding the deaths. “The post-mortems have not been conducted yet. I genuinely hope folk won’t throw wild speculation out there,” he said to The Mirror.
“That really does not support the family who are devastated at this time.” Mr. Banks also appealed for privacy for the grieving family, calling the loss of a six-year-old child “particularly tragic.” He added, “When their names do become common knowledge, which they will at some point, a degree of privacy to allow them to come to terms with a really tragic set of circumstances would be appreciated.”
Local authorities have reassured residents that the incident appears to be isolated to the property and poses no risk to the wider community. Chief Inspector Elaine McArthur-Kerr, the local area commander, acknowledged the emotional impact on the community and encouraged anyone with concerns to approach police officers in the area. Police are urging anyone with information related to the incident to come forward to aid the investigation.
