Mark Gordon and Hope
Photo by Handout/PA Media

Headteacher Pays Heartbreaking Tribute to ‘Bright and Bubbly’ Girl, 6, Found Dead with Father

The headteacher of Toronto Primary School in West Lothian has paid a heartfelt tribute to six-year-old pupil Hope Gordon, who was tragically found dead alongside her 36-year-old father Mark on Monday. Fiona Linfoot described Hope as a “bright, bubbly” girl who “brought joy to everyone she met” and expressed that she would be deeply missed by her friends and the school staff.

Police have confirmed that there is no evidence to suggest anyone else was involved in the deaths, which are currently being treated as unexplained. Post-mortem examinations are scheduled to take place this week to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the tragic incident, reported by the Express.

Ms. Linfoot shared her sorrow, saying, “Hope was a much-loved member of the Toronto Primary family, and will be hugely missed by all her friends and school staff. She was a bright, bubbly, and affectionate girl who brought joy to everyone she met. We will really miss her infectious smile and kind heart. We would ask everyone to respect the privacy of her family and the school community at this difficult time. Help and support is available to any of our pupils, or staff, affected by this tragic news.”

Chief Superintendent Gregg Banks explained that concerns arose when Hope failed to attend school on Monday, prompting a “concern for” call to Police Scotland. “This led our officers to conduct inquiries to identify the child’s whereabouts and ultimately resulted in them attending the property at Harburn Drive in West Calder. When they were unable to gain entry to the property, assistance was provided from colleagues at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to force entry, and tragically the bodies of an adult male aged 36, and a young female six years of age, were discovered in the property,” Mr. Banks stated.

He added that Hope and her father were under a “shared custody” arrangement, with Hope staying with her father for a “period of time” when the tragic event occurred. Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson of the major investigation team expressed condolences, saying, “Our thoughts remain with the man and girl’s relatives at this extremely difficult time and they continue to be supported by specialist officers. They are understandably devastated and it is vital we get answers for them. At this time we have no information to suggest anyone else is involved and our inquiries are continuing.”

Mr. Banks emphasized that the investigation is still in its “relatively early stage” and urged the public to avoid “speculation” about what happened at the property. “The post-mortems have not been conducted yet. I genuinely hope folk won’t throw wild speculation out there. That really does not support the family who are devastated at this time. Let’s work on the facts and we will know the post-mortem facts very quickly,” he appealed, also calling for privacy for the grieving family.

He further thanked local residents for their assistance over the past 48 hours and reassured the community that the incident appears to be “an incident within the context of that one property,” posing no risk to the wider community. Chief Inspector Elaine McArthur-Kerr, local area commander, echoed these sentiments, acknowledging the significant impact on the local community and urging anyone with concerns to reach out to the police.

The loss of Hope Gordon has left a profound mark on the Toronto Primary School community and the wider area, highlighting the importance of support and compassion during such heartbreaking times.

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