A mother has appeared in court charged with murdering her 23-month-old twins. Samantha Ford was arrested on Thursday after two young children were found at a home in Margate, Kent, in the early hours of the morning.
The 37-year-old appeared at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, charged with the murders of Jake and Chloe Ford on Boxing Day. She was remanded in custody until Monday where she will appear at Maidstone Crown Court. Less than an hour before the twins were found in the home, Ford was involved in a car crash and taken to hospital where she was treated for minor injuries. Police then visited her Kent home out of concern for the welfare of its occupants. The children were taken to hospital but were pronounced dead. Detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate charged her with murder following the deaths of two young children in Margate. The force said in a statement: “At around 3.35am on Thursday 27 December 2018 officers attended a property in Castle Drive, Margate due to concerns for the welfare of the occupants. The South East Coast Ambulance Service also attended and two young children were taken to hospital, where they were later confirmed deceased. She has been remanded in custody to appear before Canterbury Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 29 December 2018.” Ms Ford’s brother James Emptage said: “It’s a terrible tragedy.” Her grandmother Pamela Emptage described the situation as “absolutely tragic”. “I’m their great-grandmother. She’s my granddaughter, Samantha. They were lovely,” she said. “I mean they were not even two-years-old yet. It’s absolutely tragic.”
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