A nine-year-old girl has been found dead at a home in Weston-super-Mare.
Police arrived at the scene in the Mead Vale area within three minutes of being called by paramedics, but the girl was declared dead there.
A teenage boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.
Police have not revealed his age or whether he was known to the girl.
Superintendent Jen Appleford said: ‘We know the whole of Weston-super-Mare will be distraught and shocked to learn of this utterly dreadful news.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
‘The girl’s family were informed last night of what had happened. It is impossible for us to adequately put into words the pain and anguish they are feeling right now.
‘Our heartfelt condolences go out to them, and we’ll ensure they receive support from a specially-trained officer.
‘A criminal investigation is already well underway to establish the facts of this case. The formal identification process has not yet been completed, and a post-mortem examination will also be conducted.
‘Out of respect for the family we’d please ask people not to speculate on the circumstances, or the identities of those involved, because that will only add to their enormous distress.’
A police cordon remains in place while police officers carry out their investigations.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.