Forensic examination continues in child deaths probe

Police in Edinburgh are continuing the forensic examination of a flat in which three children were discovered dead.

Eight-year-old twins Luca and Austin Riggi and their sister Cecilia, five, were found after a reported gas explosion and fire at the Slateford Road property.

Their mother Theresa was hurt when she fell from the townhouse-style building.

Police are treating the deaths as suspicious and plan to speak to Mrs Riggi, 46, when she is well enough.

It is understood the three youngsters did not die as a result of Wednesday afternoon’s suspected explosion and small blaze.

Post-mortem examinations are due to be carried out on the children, who were at the centre of a custody battle between their US-born parents, Mrs Riggi and her husband Pasquale.

Police have said the results of the post-mortems would help them determine whether to launch a murder inquiry.

Det Supt Allan Jones said it was too early to determine the children’s cause of death.

He explained that Mrs Riggi and her children had been traced to the Edinburgh address after they were reported missing from the family home in Skene, Aberdeenshire, at the beginning of July.

Mr Jones added: “The family had been in the city for a few weeks and we are keen to speak to anyone who knew them during that time.

“We are not in a position to speak to the woman yet and we will take advice from her doctors as to when that can happen.

“We would like to do that to get a true background to the events of yesterday and find out exactly what happened within the house.”