Mystery over deaths of father and daughter in Essex

Police are investigating whether a 16-year-old Essex girl was murdered by her father who then killed himself (or whether she killed him first) after she was not allowed alcohol at a party planned for last Friday, the Telegraph reports.

Margaret Pierides is understood to have invited a group of friends to her home in Essex on Friday night but cancelled it after being told she wasn’t allowed any alcohol.

It is thought that strained already tense relations with her father, Costas Pierides, resulting in the confrontation.

Mr Pierides, 48, was found dead at their house in Sible Hedingham, Essex on Saturday and Margaret, who suffered fatal injuries, died after being airlifted to hospital.

The teenager is understood to have briefly moved into a hostel after using drugs but was thought to have recently reconciled with her family after returning home several months ago.

Police were not able to confirm whether Mr Pierides had attacked his daughter and then taken his own life or whether Miss Pierides had killed him and then attempted suicide.

They said no gunshots were involved in the deaths.

Kika Willings, 18, Miss Pierides’s best friend, said: “Margaret had been due to hold a party for her friends on Friday night but she cancelled it. I think it was because she was not allowed any drink.”

Meanwhile other friends of the teenager have claimed that there were rumours of physical abuse by Mr Pierides against his daughter.

Another friend said: “Margaret was a misunderstood girl, I can’t imagine what she must have been going though. She was so pretty but there was a lot going on underneath the surface.

Interestingly, the headline in the Telegraph (which infers she killed her father and then herself) does little justice to the actual story.