Days before Christmas, a mother kills her two young children and herself
By Jaya Narain
Last updated at 12:16 AM on 21st December 2010
A mother killed her two young children before taking her own life. Melanie Stevens, 36, is believed to have hanged herself after smothering sons Philip, five, and Isaac, two.
Friends said she had been making festive cakes with her children only a couple of days before she killed them.
A Christmas tree and decorations could be seen in the windows of their empty home yesterday. A children’s bicycle had been left outside the front door.
Tragic scene: A Christmas tree and other decorations can be seen through the window, circled, of the cottage
The three bodies were found by police who had been alerted by worried relatives.
The officers had to force their way into the environmental campaigner’s cottage because she had locked herself and the children in.
Shocked: Ex-boyfriend Mr Evans said Melanie Stephens had seemed happy and well when he saw her recently
Police are examining the theory that Miss Stevens, who lived in Trawsfynydd, near Harlech in North Wales, was suffering from depression. But friends described her as happy and friendly.
Rodnie Evans, who had a relationship with Miss Stevens many years ago, said he visited the house a couple of days before Sunday’s tragedy and had not seen anything amiss.
‘We were playing piano and she was really jolly,’ he said. ‘She had been making little festive cakes for the children and everything seemed absolutely fine.
‘I cannot imagine what has happened to change that. It is devastating.’
Her ex-husband, Peter Akister, said: ‘This is just a terrible thing to happen. My main concern now is for the childen who have been left behind without a mother.’
The couple, who divorced several years ago, had three children: Rebecca, 16, Adam, 14 and Ryan, 12.
The father of the dead children has not been identified.
A woman villager, who laid flowers at the house, said : ‘The mother lived for her children and they were an extraordinarily happy family.
‘I last spoke to them about a week ago and they were excited and looking forward to Christmas.
‘I can’t understand how it happened. There was no indication of any unhappiness in the family.’
Police tape: Officers had sealed off the house and cars as they continued to carry out searches
Local councillor Tom Ellis said: ‘The death of a mother and young children is a terrible thing but at Christmas it is even more shocking.
‘I didn’t know the woman but she lived on the main street, next to the chapel, so I would see her coming and going to the shops.
‘She always said hello as she passed but never stopped to chat. I used to see the lady in the street or at the shop with her youngest child. She was always wearing an ankle-length dress.’
Miss Stevens’s son Philip – known as Pip – attended the local primary school. Emma Kelly, a neighbour of Miss Stevens, said: ‘She was a happy, smiling person. I’m totally shocked to hear what has happened.’
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: ‘Everybody in the village is shocked. But nobody knows yet what caused this tragedy.
‘I didn’t know her very well because she wasn’t from the village and I don’t think she had many family here.
‘But you would see her in the street and she would always say hello. They were a very pleasant family and seemed very happy. It’s a terribly sad thing.’
Unknown: Police have not released a cause of death for the woman and her two children
Last night police officers were still at the house, on Chapel Street, conducting forensic examinations.
Post-mortem examinations on the three bodies were carried out at Gwynedd Hospital in Bangor.
A police spokesman said: ‘Inside the property police discovered the bodies of an adult and two young children. At this early stage it is not possible to state how the occupants died. The coroner and next of kin have been informed.’
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"I didn't know her very well and she did not have much family here"
As a widow with children, I have got used to being ignored as everything evolves around couples and families and this time of the year is hell especially listening to those " records" - "lonely this Christmas' etc...blasting out of shops!!!
You wear a mask, who wants to be friends with someone unhappy, isn't it like Eastenders, surely she/he would hook up with someone if they wanted to?.
My deepest sympathies, being a single or sole parent really is not the position most people choose even though this Newspaper suggests otherwise most of the time.- Anon, Wiltshire, 21/12/2010 11:49
//Unfortunately, moving to an another Welsh neighbourhood, while in a state of depression, desperation, was one of the worst moves she could have made.
William Boreham, Kingston on Thames UK, 21/12/2010 09:30//You don't know any north west Welsh people do you?
Lots of neighbours knew her and would have beaten a path to her door if they knew she was in trouble.- Alistair Hillier-Manser, Sandbanks UK, 21/12/2010 11:33
I live near to this village. To the people who make disparaging remarks about the local community - the villagers are very friendly, helpful and welcoming as are the majority of local Welsh people, I know from personal experience. They also respect people's wishes to "keep themselves to themselves" and "do their own thing".
Very sad to hear of this tragedy the neighbours must be very upset.
Their is an element of selfishness by people who commit these acts.- Anon, Gwynedd, Gwynedd, Wales, 21/12/2010 11:26
R.I.P. I've tried to commit suicide twice once when my son was just a baby because I was being abused by his father, the 1st time when I was a teenager because of parental abuse. Thankfully I was'nt successful but living with depression is something I would'nt wish on my worst enemy. You do learn to live with it but it's merely an existence most of the time. I used to discuss it with family but was was told 1 day that I was always moaning and to pull myself together. I keep it to myself now, it's made me very bitter and when family members have problems that depress them It saddens me to say my attitude is .... too bad.
- june, bedworth, 21/12/2010 11:01
If this woman was depressed why was it not picked up on? By her, by anyone? Depression does not come on overnight. She must have felt that something was wrong with her thinking, she could have sought help. SOMEONE should have noticed. Her kids deserved that, as do all who suffer a similar fate.
- Julie, Leicester, UK, 21/12/2010 01:42
The problem with depression is that you get to be very good at hiding it from other people, and whilst it's true that it doesn't come on overnight, that in itself can cause problems because it's a creeping process that becomes 'normal' just because you are used to it and then you can become subject to all kinds of cognitive distortions and delusions without even realising that there is anything at all abnormal in your thinking.
Mental illness in general is shockingly misunderstood and it's the lack of understanding and associated stigma which prevent a lot of sufferers from seeking help, even when they have realised that there is a problem.
- Mika, London, 21/12/2010 09:40
Unfortunately, moving to an another Welsh neighbourhood, while in a state of depression, desperation, was one of the worst moves she could have made. It's noticeable that no one there knew her or anything about her. A 'stranger' is always ostracised in those sort of communities. If you're not a native of the tiny community, none of the locals will have anything to do with you. Poor girl must have been terribly lonely with on one to confide in.
- William Boreham, Kingston on Thames UK, 21/12/2010 09:30
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