A teenage boy who was arrested on suspicion of murdering a 13-year-old girl has been released on bail.
The 16-year-old boy was arrested in Huddersfield after police were called to a flat in Sheepridge Road on Monday night at 11.36pm after a report that a girl was unresponsive.
She died in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday morning, West Yorkshire Police confirmed.
The force said detectives are working to understand the circumstances of the girl’s death which is being treated as unexplained after a post-mortem examination could not establish how she died.
The teenager has been released on conditional bail.
He was also released on conditional bail regarding an alleged rape relating to a 16-year-old girl in a separate incident elsewhere in the Kirklees district.
Inquiries into both incidents are ongoing, police said.
A postmortem examination into the teenage girl’s death conducted yesterday concluded that her death was unexplained pending further investigation.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested in Huddersfield after police were called to a flat in Sheepridge Road (pictured) on Monday night at 11.36pm after a report that a girl, 13, was unresponsive
The teenager has been released on conditional bail following the arrest (Pictured: a police car on on Sheepridge Road, Huddersfield)
DCI Stacey Atkinson of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said ‘We are continuing to conduct a number of enquiries today following the death of a 13-year-old girl following an incident at a flat on Sheepridge Road.
‘A post mortem was not able to determine how she died, and we continue to treat her death as unexplained at this time, pending more enquiries.
‘Those enquiries are complex and are likely to be lengthy as we work to fully understand the circumstances of the girl’s death. Specially trained officers are supporting her family at this time.’
People have paid their respects to the 13-year-old girl and her family at this sad time.
Salma Zubair said: ‘Words fail me. Absolutely shocked. Can’t even imagine what her family is going through.’
Sue Sunderland added: ‘Deep Peace to the poor young girl. Sincere condolences to her family and friends, and thoughts to other poor girl who suffered so much as well. So many families and friends are affected by these horrible events.’
A resident of the modern stone housing development on the quit cul de sac street described the death as ‘absolutely disgusting’ and ‘terrible’, while another local added: ‘I feel so sorry for the poor girl’s family. Thirteen is no age to die.’
