The heartbroken mother of Mylee Billingham has paid tribute to her eight-year-old daughter who was allegedly stabbed to death by her father.
Tracey Taundry, 33, updated her Facebook profile picture to show a pink ribbon emblazoned with the words ‘Mylee RIP’ in her first public tribute to her little girl.
Friends said Miss Taundry was ‘beside herself with grief’ following her daughter’s death.
Tracey Taundry, 33, updated her Facebook profile picture to show a pink ribbon with the words ‘Mylee RIP’
Police are still waiting to quiz Bill Billingham (left) in connection with the stabbing of eight-year-old Mylee (right)
Bill Billingham, 54, posted this picture of his daughter Mylee Billingham on Facebook eating pizza on a bed with the caption: ‘Pitza on bed lv moo x’
Neighbours described seeing Mylee’s mother Tracey Taundry (pictured) outside the property screaming: ‘They stabbed my baby’
Mylee was stabbed to death on Saturday night and her father Bill Billingham, 54, remains the only suspect as police investigate her death.
He is suspected of turning the blade on himself after his little girl was knifed at the house in Brownhills, in Walsall.
The 54-year-old is being guarded in hospital by armed police as he remains sedated, after undergoing surgery for a knife wound.
His condition deteriorated and he was in a critical condition but following surgery he is now stable and under sedation.
Detectives are keen to interview him and formally arrest him ‘as soon as possible’ over his daughter’s death.
A spokesperson added: ‘He has to be given a full health clearance from medical staff before officers can question him. There is no time scale, it could take days.’
Police are awaiting results of a post mortem conducted on Mylee.
The spokesperson said Miss Tracey was ‘traumatised,’ adding: ‘We continue to support Mylee ‘s family at this tragic time.’
A relative of Tracey, who lives a mile from the murder scene, said: ‘We’re still trying to piece together what happened and why. Tracey is beside herself with grief.
‘She can’t believe she’s lost her little girl, her beautiful smiley Mylee, and keeps saying her life’s been destroyed.’
Members of the local community came together yesterday to pay their respects to Mylee
Mr Billingham posted a picture on social media of Mylee, who he nicknamed Boo, eating a pizza in bed just minutes before police were called to the scene.
Mr Billingham – who a friend said had recently been made redundant from a factory job – posted on Facebook a picture of his smiling daughter snuggled under a duvet with two plates of pizza in front of her.
He captioned it: ‘Pitza on bed lv moo x [sic]’. Miss Taundry had ‘liked’ the post.
Other pictures of his daughter posted on preceding days also referred to the girl as ‘moo’.
Mylee was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital with stab injuries after police and paramedics were called to her father’s one-bedroom bungalow at 9.15pm on Saturday.
She was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
Mr Billingham – whose brother Mark is an instructor on the Channel 4 TV show SAS: Who Dares Wins and has acted as a bodyguard for Brad Pitt – moved into the modest council bungalow two months ago after splitting from Miss Taundry, his long term partner.
The picture given to police by the family of Mylee Billingham, eight, dressed in a black and pink fairy dress and holding a pink wand
Television star and SAS hero Mark Billingham MBE, right, and his brother Bill, left, who is currently in hospital
The murder suspect’s brother Mark Billingham MBE is one of the stars of Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins and was once a private body guard for Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise (pictured with the couple)
Members of the local community came together yesterday to light candles and pay their respects to Mylee in St James Church in Brownhills.
The church was packed with more than 50 people who attended one of three special candle-lit services.
A statement on the church’s Facebook page said: ‘Following the sad news of Mylee Billingham’s tragic death, St James Church will be open.
‘This will provide time and space to light a candle, say a prayer or have moment of reflection as we remember Mylee and her family at this time.’
Commenting on the post, Mylee’s big sister Zayna Leigh said: ‘She was too young and beautiful, go collect your wings sissy ‘Love your big sister- Zayna.’
Well wishers have been laying dozens of teddies, letters and floral tributes at the scene
Forensic experts continued to sift through evidence at the cordoned off property
Andy Nicholls, headmaster of St James Primary School in Brownhills, West Midlands, where Mylee attended, said the ‘lovely’ girl enjoyed singing and performing and was an active member of her school.
Mr Nicholls said in a statement: ‘What can I say, we’re all numb, we’re all in shock. Everyone at the school is completely devastated.
‘Mylee was dearly loved by us all, her smile lit up the room, in fact, it never left her face. She was a fun-loving, happy eight-year-old who had her whole life in front of her.
‘She took a full part in school life, particularly enjoying singing and performing. She was just a lovely girl. Our hearts go out to her family at this difficult time. Thank you.’
As forensic experts continued to sift through evidence at the cordoned off property, well wishers have been laying dozens of teddies, letters and floral tributes at the scene.
St James Church in Brownhills, was packed with more than 50 people who attended one of three special candle-lit services. The church doors were open from 8.30am till 11am to allow churchgoers to pray for the schoolgirl’s family
A police presence remains at the scene of he tragedy, with flowers surrounding the forensics tent
Grief-stricken members of the community have left notes in memory to the youngster
Detectives said the death was being treated as a domestic incident and were not looking for anyone else in connection with Mylee’s death.
A West Midlands Police spokesperson added: ‘A 54-year-old man who was found with a stab wound to his stomach underwent surgery yesterday. He remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
‘He is under sedation and has not been spoken to by officers yet.’
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