The family of a “warm, loving and dedicated” social worker have spoken of their grief after a 12-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of her murder.
Marcia Grant, 60, died after she was run over by her own car outside her home in the Greenhill area of Sheffield at about 7.10pm on Wednesday.
A short time later police arrested a 12-year-old boy on suspicion of murder and possession of a bladed article. He remained in police custody on Friday morning.
Grant, who was described as a “beautiful soul” in tributes left at the scene, was a social worker and foster carer. She is thought to have shared their semi-detached family home with her 66-year-old husband and two boys.
In a statement released through South Yorkshire police on Friday, Grant’s family said they were struggling to come to terms with their “enormous loss”.
They said: “Marcia was a warm, loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend and a pillar of her community. Her loss has already sent shock waves through all who knew her or was lucky enough to be included in her orbit.
“We ask for privacy at this time while further investigations are under way and the family try to come to terms with this enormous loss.”
A number of floral tributes were laid at the scene in Hemper Lane on Thursday. One card, left by a woman who was visibly upset, read: “I’m so sorry for your loss. She was a beautiful soul.”
Grant, a grandmother, is believed to have been trapped under the rear of her silver Honda Accord as it reversed off the gravel driveway.
Officers from South Yorkshire police, the ambulance service and the fire and rescue service rushed to help but she was pronounced dead at the scene, the force said.
DCI Andrea Bowell said: “This will be a deeply distressing time for the families of those involved in this incident, and I would ask their privacy is respected as they seek to understand what has happened.”
