Kettering murder probe: Police name NHS nurse and two children, 6 and 4, who died after incident at property

The woman and the two children, thought to be aged six and four, were found “seriously injured” at a property and died shortly afterwards
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A woman and two children who died after being found “seriously injured” at a property in Kettering have been named by police. At 11.15am yesterday (December 15), police officers and ambulance crews were called to Petherton Court where a woman and two children were found with serious injuries.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics and police officers, the woman died at the scene and the two children later died in hospital. Formal identification is yet to take place, but the woman is believed to be 35-year-old NHS nurse Anju Asok, and the two children - Jeeva Saju, age six, and Janvi Saju, aged four.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A local resident in adjacent William Street spoke to a reporter from the Northamptonshire Telegraph on the scene. He said: “I was working nights and at about 12.0pm I heard a commotion in the park up near the church. I saw the air ambulance. It landed for ten minutes and took off twice. It’s dreadful.”

A 52-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident remains in police custody being quizzed by detectives. Senior Investigating Officer on the case, Detective Inspector of Northamptonshire Police, Simon Barnes, said: “We continue to work around the clock in order to progress this investigation and establish the timeline of events which led to these tragic deaths.

“Forensic post-mortem examinations will be taking place today and tomorrow, and our Neighbourhood Policing Team continue to be on patrol in the Petherton Court area today to offer reassurance to local residents. Whilst we continue to process the scene of these murders, local residents will see an increased police presence and I am grateful for the support of the local community.

“We remain committed in seeking justice for Anju, Jeeva and Janvi, and although we are not seeking anyone else in connection with their deaths, I would still encourage anyone with any information to contact us, either by calling 101 or by calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Anju was an NHs staff nurse at Kettering General Hospital. Hospital Chief Executive Deborah Needham said: “Yesterday we received the extremely upsetting news that one of our colleagues had died in circumstances being investigated by Northamptonshire Police. Anju Asok was an internationally trained nurse who joined our KGH family in 2021 and predominantly worked on Barnwell B - one of our Orthopaedic wards.

“She was a committed and compassionate staff nurse, who was loved and respected by her dear friends and colleagues. All our thoughts are with her friends and family as they come to terms with this sudden loss.”

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.