Wounded mother suspected of shooting her son, 4
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A mother is believed to have shot her four-year-old son in their home yesterday before turning the gun on herself.
Patricia McCarvill, a mother of two children, was critically ill and under armed police guard in hospital after the incident at her home in Dover, Kent.
Armed officers found the body of the child and his injured mother at their terraced home after being called by a neighbour who had heard gunshots just after noon yesterday, a police spokeswoman said.
Armed police then arrived with paramedics and went into the house, before the woman was brought out by paramedics on a stretcher with a breathing mask over her face. She was taken away in an ambulance.
A neighbour said that he saw a woman run out of the house with her right side covered in blood. She then ran back inside, the neighbour said.
He said: "They are a really, really nice ordinary family. They did ordinary family things like bike riding and playing tennis together."
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Roberts, who is leading the investigation, said: "A pathologist and a ballistics firearms expert have been working at the scene.
"A post-mortem examination on the boy will be carried out later this evening at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital.
"We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments