Pictured: Mother and the son charged with murdering her and siblings
An 18-year-old accused of murdering his mother and two siblings has been pictured for the first time – as heartbroken friends pay tribute to the victims.
Juliana Prosper, 48, was found dead alongside Kyle Prosper, 16, and Giselle Prosper, 13, in a flat in Leabank, Luton at around 5.30am on Friday.
Nicholas Prosper, of Leabank, was arrested on Friday morning in Bramingham Road and later charged with three counts of murder and a number of firearms offences.
The teenager, pictured for the first time today, has been remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Luton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The BBC reported that the 18-year-old has been named locally as Juliana’s son and the brother of the child victims.
Reacting to the murder charges online, one woman wrote: ‘It is so heartbreaking – my son was a close friend of Kyle – he was a lovely, smiley, quiet boy.’
Juliana Prosper (pictured), 48, was found dead alongside Kyle Prosper, 16, and Giselle Prosper, in a flat in Luton at around 5.30am on Friday
Pictured is Nicholas Prosper who has been charged with three counts of murder and a number of firearms offences
A mother and child lays flowers at Leabank, Luton, where three people were found dead in a flat
Juliana Prosper, 48, was found dead with Kyle Prosper, 16, and Giselle Prosper, in a block of flats in Luton at around 5.30am on Friday
She continued: ‘It’s so hard to believe this has happened to him and his family.’
Another person posted: ‘My daughter has been in Kyle’s class throughout her school life – it’s so hard to believe. RIP Kyle, Juliana and Giselle.’
A friend of Juliana told Sky News that the mother ‘lived for her children’ and was ‘a positive person who will be so terribly missed’.
Tributes have also been paid to Giselle, who was described as a ‘beautiful soul’ and a ‘model pupil’ at Lea Manor High School.
The schoolgirl’s headteacher, Jess Panther, said: ”We are deeply shocked at Lea Manor High School by the tragic incident that occurred on Friday in our local community and devastated by the loss of our pupil, Giselle Prosper.
‘Giselle was a beautiful soul and a model pupil, she excelled in all her subjects and will be sorely missed, particularly by her friends in Year 9.
‘Lea Manor High School will be open as usual on Monday and specialist bereavement counsellors will be available to provide additional support to our students and staff during this difficult time.
‘It will take us all time to process what has happened and our thoughts go out to everyone in our community and neighbouring schools who have been affected.’
Kyle Prosper’s school described the incident as ‘devastating’ and offered ‘heartfelt condolences’ to his family.
A statement issued by Cardinal Newman Catholic School said: ‘We are shocked by the tragic incident that occurred on Friday in our local community and deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own students, Kyle Prosper.
‘This is devastating news to all those who knew and loved Kyle and it will take some time to come to terms with the profound sense of loss.
‘We have already sent important information to parents and carers that outlines the support we have in place for students when they return to school on Monday.
‘We know this will be a difficult time for students and staff and we will do all we can to support them with love and compassion.
‘We extend our heartfelt condolences to Kyle’s family on their immeasurable loss, to his friends and to all those in neighbouring schools who are coming to terms with their own loss. We pray for all those who have died in this tragic incident.’
Police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene on Friday morning. Officers found three bodies
Bedfordshire Police officers stand guard at a cordon outside the property in Leabank, Luton
Detective Superintendent Rob Hall, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said the force’s thoughts were with the victims and their loved ones.
‘Although formal identification has yet to take place, next of kin of those who we believe to have died have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers,’ he added.
‘We would ask that their privacy is respected at this unimaginably difficult time.
‘Following the discovery of the three bodies yesterday, we immediately dispatched a number of officers to the scene. Shortly afterwards they arrested an 18-year-old man, who has now been charged with three counts of murder, as well as a number of firearms offences.
‘I’d like to praise all of the officers involved in this investigation so far, especially those who were first at the scene and were met with such awful circumstances, and those who have worked round the clock to establish the details surrounding these tragic deaths.’
Neighbours previously described hearing loud ‘bangs’ which they feared were gun shots.
One resident, who asked not to be named, told MailOnline: ‘I thought I heard some bangs, at about quarter to six. But I thought it was car backfiring.
Floral tributes and messages were left at the entrance to the block of flats in Luton
One friend described Juliana as ‘a positive person who will be so terribly missed’
‘I didn’t realise until later that someone had been shot.’
Police were seen flying a drone over a section of the nearby River Lea, while a team of forensics officers established a large cordon around the grassy Waulud’s Bank.
There was a large police presence outside the 15-storey Leabank Tower where the incident took place, one of several large residential blocks in the area.
Another horrified neighbour – a male nurse who has lived in the area for 22 years, added: ‘Everyone gets on here. But there is an undercurrent of bad behaviour.
‘I’m shocked. To hear somebody had a gun – never.
‘I walk here late at night and never had a problem, never felt unsafe.’
