A woman in her 40s has been arrested on suspicion of murder following the discovery of the body of a missing schoolboy in a river in north Devon. Taylor Charlton, 15, was last seen on CCTV on May 8 near a footpath by the Tarka Leisure Centre in Barnstaple.
A large-scale search operation was initiated after his disappearance. Six weeks later, a body was recovered from the river. Police have now arrested the woman, who is in her 40s, on suspicion of murder. She is the second person to be arrested in connection with the case; a 20-year-old man was previously detained on suspicion of murder but has since been released on bail.
Devon and Cornwall Police stated that the arrest followed new information, enabling them to take swift action. "While the suspect has been arrested on suspicion of murder, we would like to stress that this is a new line of enquiry and it is at an extremely early stage," a police spokesman said. The force confirmed that Taylor's family has been informed of this development and is being supported by specially trained officers.
Taylor Charlton was 14 when he was reported missing but would have turned 15 during the period he was last seen. Last month, officers were called to the River Taw at Sticklepath after remains were spotted in the water. Formal identification is pending, though Taylor's family has been notified.
In a public appeal, Taylor's mother, Zoe, had expressed her desperation for his safe return, stating, "I love you so much and I am worried sick about you." His father, Alex, described Taylor as "a loving, loyal and special lad" and expressed their eagerness to have him home.