‘Best friends’: School pays tribute boys found dead next to mother
A woman and two young boys found dead at a house in south London have been named.
47-year-old Nadja De Jager and her two sons, nine-year-old Alexander and seven-year-old Maximus were found dead in the Mayfield Road home in Belvedere at 11.50am on Thursday after concerns were raised for their welfare.
On Friday, Belvedere Infant and Junior School paid tribute Alexander and Maximus who they described as “loving and caring” pupils.
In a statement, the school said: “Alex and Max were truly wonderful members of our school community and we will remember them with great fondness and love. They were loving and caring boys who had a real hunger to learn.
“Both were model pupils and it was clear that they were each other’s best friend. They will be hugely missed by pupils and staff alike, and forever be part of our hearts at Belvedere.
“Our deepest condolences are with the family and their friends during this difficult time and in due course we will share details of a fitting memorial for the brothers at Belvedere.
“For now, our immediate priority has been to make sure we have support in place for the children and staff to help them come to terms with what has happened, including through specialist counselling.
“The death of any child is a terrible tragedy, but our school community will come together to grieve and to be there for each other. Belvedere is a warm and loving place and we will come through this together.”
According to her LinkedIn profile, Ms De Jager worked as a managing director for a local property developer.
Detective Inspector Ollie Stride, of the Metropolitan Police, said: “This is a deeply sad case and we are continuing to establish the circumstances that led to this tragic incident.
“I would like to thank the local community for their co-operation while our officers go about their inquiries.
“Our thoughts today are very much with the family as they struggle to come to terms with their loss and we ask that their privacy be respected at this extremely difficult time.”
The Metropolitan Police said detectives were not actively seeking anyone else in connection with the investigation.
A spokesperson said: “Next of kin have been notified. Post-mortem examinations will be arranged in due course.”
The Met’s Specialist Crime Command is leading the investigation.
London Ambulance Service sent a medic and two incident response officers to the scene.
A spokesman said: “We were called at 12.16pm yesterday to reports of an incident on Mayfield Road, Belvedere.
“We sent a medic in a fast response car and two incident response officers to the scene.
“Sadly three people were pronounced dead at the scene.”
A crime scene remains in place.
