Mental patient killed family

A man with a history of mental illness walked into a hospital and announced that he had murdered his wife and her two children.

The man was being interviewed by detectives today after police went to his home and found the bodies of his wife and her six-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter.

The woman and her son had been stabbed to death and the teenage girl strangled in their flat in Wembley. Their bodies were found on Monday. Sources said he had a history of mental illness.

Detectives investigating the murders who visited the scene were said to be shocked.

The family were living under the care of Brent social services, which classed the family as "vulnerable", a spokeswoman for Stadium Housing Association said. The 86-flat block in Northwick Road housed several people with mental-problems. The spokeswoman said: " The woman and her two children were under the care of Brent social services. They moved into the block in 1999."

The murders come amid mounting concern over killings by "care in the community" patients.

In September Daniel Gonzalez, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, was charged with committing four murders in 48 hours in London and the South-East.

One in 10 murders in London were attributed to mental care patients last year. The mental health charity Sane estimates that about 15 to 20 killings every year are carried out by mentally ill patients.

Anyone with information should call the incident room on 020 8247 7821 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.