A devastated dad watched police carry his surviving child to safety after his two other children were stabbed to death at a house. Staffordshire Police were called to a property in Corporation Street, Stafford, at around 7.30am on Sunday.
Two victims - Meraj Ul Zahra, aged two, and three-year-old Abdul Momin Alfaateh - were both found unresponsive with injuries inside. Despite medics' best efforts, they were pronounced dead at the scene.
A third child, believed to be a boy, was found alive at the scene.
Neighbours said his father was too "distraught" to carry him to the police car. It comes as a 43-year-old Stafford woman arrested on suspicion of the double murder has now been detained under the Mental Health Act.
One neighbour told the Daily Mail: "The first we knew that something was wrong was when we heard all of the sirens. Then later, I saw the older child being taken away in a police car. The father was too distraught to carry him so the police carried the child to the car for him. It's so sad, they were lovely children. It's a big shock to have something like this happen on my doorstep."
Another local said: "I woke up to this news and it sent a chill down my spine. It's a terrible shock, it's just horrible."
Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses following the double tragedy. They should call the police on 101, quoting incident number 147 of 12 October, or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.