Deaths of private school headteacher and family ‘a possible murder-suicide’

The deaths of a headteacher, her daughter and husband are being investigated as possible murder-suicide, according to reports.

Emma Pattison, her seven-year-old daughter Lettie and husband George were found dead at their home in the grounds of independent Epsom College in the early hours of Sunday.

The Times reported that she contacted a close relative the previous evening with concerns about her husband, and when the relative arrived at their home they found them all dead.

Mr Pattison had been in touch with police only last week about his shotgun licence in order to change his address, the newspaper said.

Surrey Police have not released details of the cause of death but said investigators are confident no one else was involved.

A source told the Telegraph that a member of school staff called emergency services on Sunday after hearing gunshots.

Mrs Pattison, 45, became Epsom’s first female head in September 2022 after six years as headteacher of Croydon High School in south London.

Boarding students at the college pay more than £42,000 a year and its alumni include Conservative MP Sir Michael Fallon, broadcaster Jeremy Vine and comedian Tim Vine.

Mrs Pattison’s husband George was a chartered accountant who was director of a management consultancy called Tanglewood 2016, according to Companies House.