New police appeal to trace last movements of woman and son who died at Haytor
A group of cyclists could hold vital information for detectives trying to establish the last movements of Katherine Hooper and her son Joshua.
Katherine Hooper, 24, and her five-year-old son Joshua died after falling from rocks on Friday 12 July. Police discovered the body of her two-year-old son Sam at her home in Dukes Close, Paignton later that day.
A murder investigation was launched by Devon and Cornwall Police.
A group of cyclists, possibly from a local club, are believed to have been on Haytor on the evening of Thursday 11 July. The cyclists were seen having a rest at the upper car park around 7.30pm.
Police are urging the cyclists to contact them in the hope that they may have seen Katherine and Joshua or may have taken photographs or film footage of Haytor that evening.
Detectives have received a positive response to the public appeal to help them establish the movements of the pair in the 24 hours prior to their death.
Members of the enquiry team, local officers and police community support officers were out at Haytor on Thursday 18 July and Friday 19 July looking to jog the memories of local people and visitors who may have seen Katherine and Joshua.
Detective Inspector John Ardron said: “We would like to speak to the cyclists as they may have seen Katherine and Joshua or may have captured them in photographs or video footage inadvertantly. They could hold vital information for the enquiry.
“We have received a very positive response to the public appeal so far and we are investigating and prioritising the lines of enquiry.
"We would like to thank the public and the media for their assistance, and would urge anyone who may have any information, however small, to come forward to police.”
Katherine Hooper is known to have left her home in Dukes Close, Paignton in a black private hire taxi at around 11.20am on Thursday 11 July. Police believe that Katherine and Joshua may have spent the night rough sleeping at Haytor.
In CCTV footage obtained by the police, Katherine Hooper is seen exiting the taxi outside the Spar in Kings Ash Road. She then is shown using the ATM before walking towards the camera and entering the store.
Minutes later she exits the shop and gets back into the waiting taxi and continues her journey to Haytor, arriving there at around midday.
She was wearing a distinctive blue and white hooped jumper. Police hope that this may jog someone’s memory as she was wearing a jumper on such a warm day.
Police revealed over the weekend that the family had been the subject of a Safeguarding Partnership intervention and that a serious case review would be launched.
The Safeguarding Partnership, an alliance including the council, NHS and the police, is alerted if a person is thought to be in need of community care services because of mental illness or abuse.
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and quote log number 734 of 120713.
