‘I just want to hold them’: Dad’s tribute after his two children, their mother and friend ‘on a sleepover’ are killed

A “broken” father of two children who were found dead over the weekend has paid tribute to his “TikTok queen” and “beautiful boy”.

Jason Bennett, who said the children were 11 and 13, broke down as he laid flowers near the house in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, where police are investigating the deaths of four people.

“I’m broken, I just want to kiss my babies,” he told Sky News. “I just want to kiss them and hold them. TikTok queen and my beautiful boy, they were beautiful. Kindest people you could ever meet.”

Writing on Facebook, Mr Bennett added: “My beautiful boy John and beautiful daughter Lacey have been taken away from me.

“Their mum Terri also lost her life and Lacey’s best friend was also taken away from this world.”

He said he had been making a four-hour journey home when he was told of the news, adding that it had “absolutely broken my heart into a million pieces”.

“I didn’t protect my beautiful babies enough from the monsters and now they have been suddenly taken away from me.”

In a later post in the early hours of Monday, he wrote: “Look after your children. They are the love of your life and without them, it’s empty… Your life is insignificant when you lose the ones you love. Please come home so I can kiss and hug you.”

A neighbour said she understood the third child who died had been at the house for a sleepover.

It comes after officers from Derbyshire Constabulary were called to a home in Chandos Crescent, Killamarsh, near Sheffield, at around 7.25am on Sunday.

A man has been arrested and police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.