UK girl, 8, found hanged

An eight-year-old girl was found hanged in her bedroom, police said today. The girl was found at her home in Nottinghamshire, England at about 9.15am yesterday (local time).

The girl lived with her family in Moor Street, which has now reopened following a full forensic examination of the scene.

Police said the girl's parents have not been arrested but were interviewed under caution.

Sources refused to say whether the incident is being treated as suspicious or as a tragic accident.

A 21-year-old student, who lives near to the house, said the girl suffered from learning difficulties.

"The girl and her brother never came out of the house. You never saw them really," said the student. "The family are very quiet apart from a German shepherd in the back garden... Yesterday there were quite a few police cars here and a couple of ambulances and the doctors."

Detective Superintendent Adrian Pearson, head of Nottinghamshire Police's public protection unit, said a five-year-old boy who was also living at the address has been taken into local authority care.

A post-mortem examination carried out at Leicester Royal Infirmary last night confirmed the cause of the girl's death as hanging.

Specialist police officers are working with social services at Nottinghamshire County Council to find out how the tragedy happened.

- THE INDEPENDENT