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Mylee Billingham murder: Father posted Facebook photo of girl, 8, eating pizza minutes before 'stabbing her to death'

Mylee Billingham, left, died on Saturday night. Her father, Bill Billingham, has been arrested on suspicion of murder
Mylee Billingham, left, died on Saturday night. Her father, Bill Billingham, has been arrested on suspicion of murder

A father arrested for the murder of his eight-year-old daughter posted a photo of her eating pizza on Facebook just minutes before she was allegedly stabbed to death.

Bill Billingham, 54, was arrested over the death of his daughter Mylee Billingham after being found at the property with a stab wound to his stomach.

Police were called just 15 minutes after the photo of her was uploaded online, with the caption: "Pitza on bed lv moo x." The girl's mother is said to have told a neighbour in the aftermath: "He stabbed my little girl".

Mylee died in hospital after she was discovered badly wounded at an address in Brownhills, near Walsall, on Saturday night.

Neighbour Graham Greatrex, 74, told how he helped comfort the woman after Mylee was discovered badly injured on Saturday night.

The schoolgirl later died in hospital. The girl's father, Bill Billingham, has been arrested after being found at the property with a stab wound to his stomach.

Mylee Billingham - Credit: Facebook
Mylee Billingham eating pizza in bed in a picture believed to have been taken just hours before her death Credit: Facebook

Mr Greatrex, who lives a few doors from the crime scene, said he went to help the mother.

He said: "I just offered her a warm drink because it was a bitterly cold night.

"She just said, 'He's stabbed my little girl'. She was in shock and she couldn't say anything else."

West Midlands Police (WMP) said they were called to a "domestic incident" shortly after 9.15pm.

Mylee Billingham - Credit: Facebook
Mylee Billingham Credit: Facebook

A 54-year-old man was taken to hospital and is in a stable condition. Police said he would be questioned "in due course" over the incident in Valley View, a residential street on the edge of the town.

A post-mortem examination is set to take place on Monday to determine the cause of death.

On Sunday, the home was being searched by forensics experts in the cordoned off, one-storey home, which is believed to belong to the local authority.

Police tape in front of house - Credit: Laura Dale/Caters News
Police were called to a the address at 9.15 pm on Saturday Credit: Laura Dale/Caters News

It was one of a row of terraced bungalows in the street.

Mr Greatrex said that a man had lived there for the past six months after the previous occupier, a woman, had died.

But he said he did not know the current occupant.

He added: "It was a bit of a shock. You can't imagine it happening on our doorstep, especially when it's a little girl."

Video: Neighbours speak of shock at girl's death

Detective Inspector Jim Colclough, from WMP's homicide unit, said: "We are treating this as a domestic incident and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the child's death.

"Our family liaison team are supporting the family of the little girl, who are naturally devastated by her death. Our thoughts remain with them."

Other neighbours said they were also stunned at news that a child had died.

Mylee Billingham - Credit: Facebook
Mylee Billingham has died after she was found stabbed at the address in Walsall Credit: Facebook

Bob Weir, who lives two doors away from the bungalow where the stabbing happened, said he had initially thought the incident was drug-related.

Mr Weir, 72, added that a middle-aged man lived at the now sealed-off property, apparently on his own.

The pensioner told reporters: "I didn't hear until this morning what it was and I was absolutely shocked - I didn't know the bloke who lived there and he hadn't lived there long, maybe six months, if that.

"There were police cars both sides of the road, ambulances ... all sorts. I thought it was something to do with drugs.

"I didn't know there were any kids in there. I thought he just lived on his own. I never saw a girl or a woman there."

A police forensics officer outside the property in Brownhills, near Walsall - Credit: Matthew Cooper /PA
A police forensics officer outside the property in Brownhills, near Walsall Credit: Matthew Cooper /PA

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "I only knew the guy to say hello to and I think he was married and was living there on his own.

"I didn't hear anything before the police got here. It's really sad. This is not the sort of area where you hear of anybody being stabbed."