Death of girl, 2, found in builder’s bucket ‘not suspicious’, Met Police say

The death of a two-year-old girl found in a “builder’s bucket” in a Dagenham garden is “not suspicious”, the Metropolitan Police said. Officers attended the address on Reedle Road during the search for the missing girl last week.

She was reported missing at 4pm on January 29, and the child was found unresponsive in the garden shortly after being reported missing. Neighbours spoke of the terrifying moment they “heard crying” as a team of reportedly between 20 and 30 people searched for her.

A spokesman for the Met Police said: “She was taken by London Ambulance Service to an East London hospital where, despite all efforts to revive her, she was sadly pronounced dead. Next of kin are aware.

“A post-mortem examination was conducted at St Thomas Hospital on Thursday, 3 February. We await the outcome of additional tests. The death continues to be treated as unexplained but is not thought to have been suspicious. Enquiries are ongoing. There were no arrests.”

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, told MyLondon: “I looked everywhere, everywhere I was supposed to look. About 20 people were looking. No-one found anything until the police dog found them.”

READ MORE: Dagenham girl, 2, who died after going missing found in ‘builders’ bucket in garden by police dog’

Another said: “Police were knocking on doors. Then we did not hear anything until they said they found her not breathing in the back garden. I’m totally shocked and it’s very scary as well because I have just moved in. To hear that it’s not just far from here it’s terrifying really.”

Another local said: “The woman knocked on my door. I do not know what happened honestly. I heard crying.”

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