Girl, 10, escapes after having gun put in her mouth as her mother and sister, 2, are shot dead at home

Christine Chambers with her daughters Shania and Chelsea. Ms Chambers and the two-year-old were shot dead this morning in Braintree, Essex, apparently just a few hours before a court hearing with the child's father. He has been taken to hospital with gunshot injuries

A girl whose sister and mother were shot dead just hours before a family court hearing had a gun put in her mouth moments before they died, it was claimed today.
Chelsea, 10, was told to run from the house by her mother Christine 'Chrissy' Chambers, 38, moments before she and her toddler daughter Shania were murdered.

Police were called to the scene and found the bodies of both Ms Chambers, Shania and an injured man.
The man was named as David Oakes, who was arrested and taken to a local hospital, where he is now under police guard.
Police have confirmed that they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

Mr Oakes, who is Shania's father, was locked in a dispute with Ms Chambers, and the couple were due to attend court today.

The father of Chelsea, Ian Flitt, 50, told earlier today how he was awoken by his distraught daughter who was screaming 'he has gone mad with a gun'.
Mr Flitt, who lives about 500 yards away from the scene of the shooting, said Chrissy had urged her daughter to run, after the weapon had been placed in her daughter's mouth.

'She said to her - "run, save yourself" - and that is what she did.' Mr Flitt said his daughter had ran from the scene before the shooting started.
Mr Flitt's daughter ran through the streets in the night as she escaped the house. He said : 'Chelsea arrived here and was knocking at my door.
'It was the middle of the night so I had no idea what was going on and to be honest, I thought she had run away.

'I said 'what are you doing here? She started screaming - "he is there at the house with a gun".'

Today the Independent Police Complaints Commission sent two investigators to the scene amid claims local officers were aware of an alleged volatile relationship between the former couple.
A spokesman said: 'The IPCC has been informed of the case and two investigators have been sent to Braintree to get more information and assess the available evidence before a decision is made as to whether or not it warrants further IPCC investigation.'
There were dramatic scenes outside the house after the incident as a neighbour shouted at police: 'You knew this was going to happen, you could have stopped it.'