A man is being held in a secure mental health unit after an 86-year-old woman died in an attack at her cottage in a Somerset village.
Avon and Somerset police have referred themselves to the police watchdog with regards to the action they took after a missing person report hours before the fatal assault.
The woman has been named locally as Beryl “Bez” Purdy, who was well known in the village of Broomfield, near Taunton.
Officers were called out to a reported burglary at about 5.45pm on Monday.
When they arrived, they found Purdy badly injured. Paramedics and police officers tried to save her but were unsuccessful.
A murder investigation led by the force’s major crime investigation team has been launched and a postmortem was conducted on Tuesday, but formal identification has not yet taken place.
Police said a man in his 30s was arrested in connection with the incident. He was assessed by a mental health professional and deemed unfit for interview or to be detained in police custody.
He was sectioned on Tuesday night under the Mental Health Act and transferred to a secure unit.
The neighbourhood chief inspector, Justin French, said: “Our thoughts remain with the family during this incredibly difficult time and they are being supported by specially trained family liaison officers.
“Incidents of this kind are rare and understandably can cause concern among the community.
“Our officers will be out and about conducting reassurance patrols and we encourage people to speak to them with any questions and concerns they may have.
“The public can expect to see an increased police presence in the area for the next few days.”
The force added: “A mandatory conduct referral has been made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) concerning the action taken following a missing person report made earlier in the day.” It refused to give more details.
Flowers were left near the scene paying tribute to Purdy. One tribute said: “Bez – there are no words. Out thoughts are with you and your family.’’
In December 2020, Purdy was pictured in the Somerset County Gazette outside St Mary and All Saints church, where she was a warden, after it received a grant to help repairs.
She was also the booking secretary for Broomfield village hall and it is understood that she cared for her husband, Peter.
In 2012, Purdy’s 46-year-old daughter, Alison, a police officer, diedafter a horse riding accident.
The IOPC said it was assessing Avon and Somerset’s referral.
