The disappearances of missing mother Bennylyn Burke and her two-year-old daughter Jellica are being treated as a murder investigation, Police Scotland has said.

Ms Burke, 25, was reported missing from her home in Gloucestershire on 1 March along with two children, including Jellica.

A 50-year-old man was arrested at a property in Troon Avenue, Dundee, on Friday.

He has now been charged in connection with the deaths and will appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday.

Officers are still searching for their bodies.

The force said the second child has been found and is being supported.

Detective Superintendent Graeme Mackie, of Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team, said: “This is a complex enquiry involving both local officers in Dundee and specialist resources from across Police Scotland.

“Bennylyn’s next of kin have been updated on the arrest and are being supported by colleagues from Avon and Somerset Police.

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very difficult time.

“There will be an increased police presence in the area for a considerable period of time and I would like to thank the local community for their cooperation.

“Anyone with concerns or information can speak to a local officer or call Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident 1434 of 5 March, 2021.”

Related posts:

‘Devastated’ mother renews appeal for witnesses over shooting of BLM activist Global internet outage hits major websites – including the UK government site Oxford students vote to remove ‘colonial’ portrait of Queen Boiling lobsters alive could be banned under new animal welfare laws UK’s daily COVID infections pass 32,000 for first time since January – with another 33 deaths Quarantine scrapped for fully vaccinated adults returning from amber list countries from 19 July The morning after the night before – mass clean-up begins after England fans’ street celebrations Schoolboy fatally shot by 14-year-old during knife attack involving masked youths, court told Yorkshire Cricket chairman resigns over Azeem Rafiq racism claims Teenager hands himself into police after boy, seven, struck in face by flare at football match Footballer Kurt Zouma has cats taken away by RSPCA after he was filmed kicking one Esports to be involved as a pilot event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games