Briton Robert Leeming rearrested after bodies of woman and daughter found in Canada
A British man has been rearrested by police investigating the deaths of a woman and her one-year-old daughter in Canada.
Robert Leeming was taken back into custody after the bodies of Jasmine Lovett, 25, and her daughter Aliyah Sanderson were found in woodland west of Calgary on Monday.
The mother and daughter’s family said their lives had been "devastated and our hearts are heavy" following the discovery.
Leeming, who has lived in Canada for six years, earlier denied any involvement and said he was "traumatised" after becoming a prime "murder" suspect.
The 34-year-old said he had been romantically involved with Ms Lovett, who had been living with her daughter as a tenant at his home in the Cranston district of Calgary.
The mother and daughter were last seen alive in Cranston on the evening of Tuesday, April 16. Activity on Ms Lovett’s bank accounts stopped on April 18.
Leeming was arrested a week later, but released after being questioned.
At the time police said the man they arrested remained the main suspect in the mother and daughter’s disappearance, which detectives were treating as homicide.
Calgary Police said on Monday: "At approximately 4am today we located the bodies of a woman and child, believed to be that of Jasmine Lovett and Aliyah Sanderson, in Kananaskis.
"A suspect has been taken into custody and charges are pending. The suspect cannot be named by police until charges are officially laid by the Justice of the Peace.
"However, police can confirm the suspect is the same man who was taken into custody two weeks ago."
Post-mortem examinations were due to take place on the mother and daughter, although the cause of death was not expected to be released.
The mother and daughters’ family said in a statement: "Our family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire Calgary Police Service as well as those who have worked diligently in the search for Jasmine and her baby girl Aliyah.
"We would also like to thank the public for their continued support which has meant a great deal to us.
"Our lives have been devastated and our hearts are heavy. We are trying to understand how this tragedy could have happened to our loved ones."