A man has been taken into custody by police on suspicion of murdering dog walker Anita Rose.
Anita, a mother-of-six, had embarked on an early morning stroll with her springer spaniel named Bruce at around 5am on Wednesday, July 24. Tragically discovered with severe head wounds near Rectory Lane in Brantham, Suffolk, about 6.25am, she sadly succumbed to her injuries four days afterwards, reports the Mirror.
Officers from Suffolk Police have since arrested a 55-year-old man in Ipswich. The family of the victim are receiving support from specialist officers who are also providing them with updates regarding the ongoing investigation.
In a heartbreaking appeal aired on BBC’s Crimewatch Live, Anita’s daughter Jessica Cox expressed her incomprehension regarding the violent assault and urged those with any knowledge, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, to come forward. She stated: “We don’t understand how someone could brutally, horrifically attack someone when they’re walking their dog.
“I really want anyone that has any information, however small or insignificant they think it may be, to come forward and speak to the police.
“We need to find the person that done this to my mum. They need to face justice. It won’t be enough but they’ve done it to my mum and they could do it to somebody else and they’re still out there.”
In an attempt to expedite the case, independent charity Crimestoppers is offering a £20,000 reward for details leading to the arrest and conviction of those implicated in Ms. Rose’s demise.
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Ms Cox paid a heartfelt tribute to her mother, describing her as a “beautiful, strong, independent woman” who was “funny and so kind”.
She shared: “My mum’s got six kids, I’ve got four brothers and a sister, and she looks after all of us, and she loved to spend time with all of us, with all of her grandchildren. My mum has a long-term partner, Richard. They’ve been together 13-years. They adored each other and mum was planning on growing old with him. My mum dotes on us all and we miss her.”
Ms Cox recounted how her mother moved to Brantham around six years ago, where “she loved the area, literally loved walking and seeing people in the community” and felt secure.
She added: “Mum would get up early to walk Bruce in the mornings so that he had a good walk before she went to work. Being a springer he needed a lot of exercise.”
The funeral for Ms Rose last month was described by Ms Cox as “a difficult day because we shouldn’t be having to have a funeral for my mum. She’s 57 years old and she had so much to live for, so much she was looking forward to. She was supposed to be on holiday right now.
“We haven’t got our mum and our mum isn’t here to look after us any more. My mum is going to miss out on birthdays, the birth of my nephew, her grandson, she’s going to miss my brother getting married next year.”
Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Connick reported on Crimewatch Live that at 6.25am, a male cyclist en route to the railway station found Ms Rose unconscious by a sewage plant path. “He could see facial injuries and immediately called an ambulance,” shared Mr Connick.
“Bruce, her dog, was by her side with the lead wrapped round her leg.”
The DCI detailed further that her pink Regatta waterproof jacket, along with her Galaxy Earbud headphones possibly in its pocket, and her iPhone, had been stolen. However, he confirmed that the phone was found in Ipswich three days later, on July 27, and arrests have been made concerning its recovery.
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