'Depressed' mother 'stabbed her three children after row with her husband'

Sasikala Navaneethan, 35, has been detained under the Mental Health Act after her five-year-old son and four-year-old daughter were killed at their home in Carshalton, Surrey.

Their six-month-old sister is in a critical condition after her throat was cut. Mrs Navaneethan's husband, Navarajah, 39, has been released on police bail following the attack on Friday night.

Police said he was not involved in the killings although it is believed he assaulted his wife after he arrived home to find the scene.

Little victim: The six-month-old, pictured just after birth, whose brother and sister were stabbed to death in their bedroom

The Tamil couple moved to Britain about eight years ago from the village of Sunakam in northern Sri Lanka.

Amale cousin of Mrs Navaneethan said she had argued with her husband on the phone before the attack on her children.

She called emergency services at 10.30pm. Her husband came back from the grocery store where he worked minutes before police and paramedics arrived.

The cousin, who did not wish to be named, told Thesam, a Tamillanguage newspaper: 'As far as I know Sasikala has never suffered from any medical illness before. She had had a big argument with her husband before it happened  -  that is why he came rushing home.'

Tributes: Flowers were left by well-wishers outside the house

Another relation said the housewife had become depressed after her brother and his wife moved out of the four-bedroom house.

Speaking through an interpreter, the relative, known as Sassy, told the Times: 'Her husband was working all hours and she was very lonely with no one to talk to. She had three children that were very hard work.'

Friends said Mr Navaneethan worked from 7am to 11pm but his shop in Coulsdon had been badly affected by a new bypass.

Brian Davy, owner of nearby Piston's wine bar, said Mr Navaneethan had come to see him earlier on Friday. Mr Davy said: 'That night he came to give me back some money I'd loaned him. He told me he was losing £200 a day.'

The family had moved from the flat above the store to the house to give their children more space.

Mrs Navaneethan is said to have failed her driving test last week and was struggling with taking her children to school by public transport.