Father arrested over death of son....

Father arrested over death of baby son was planning boy's first birthday party just days before he 'hurled him in Moses basket into river after row with infant's mother' .
A father was planning his son's first birthday party just days before he allegedly threw him to his death into a river in his Moses basket, family members said today.

Zak Bennett Eko, 22, was arrested after baby Zakari died in the River Irwell, in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester at 4.30pm yesterday.

The suspect, who its believed had taken his son out to buy milk after a row with the boys mother, was found minutes later inside the nearby Lock Keeper pub.
Police have appealed for witnesses who may have caught the incident on video to come forward.

The boy's grief-stricken mother Emma Blood, 22, posted an emotional statement on Facebook this morning, telling how she has 'lost my son' and said she 'wished I was dead.'

Describing her son as 'my world, my heart, my soul', Ms Blood, who is believed to be pregnant, told how she spent the final moments with him after his death.
Zakari's maternal great-grandfather has now revealed how Bennett Eko and Ms Blood were a 'happy couple.'

David Kavanagh, 67, told The Sun: 'I only saw him and his parents on Monday. He was a great lad.

'Emma and Zak seemed like a happy couple, she was a loving mother. She was taking Zakari to playgroup and they were making plans for his first birthday.
'One of my daughters came round to tell me what had happened. It's the worst thing you could imagine. I was totally shocked.

'It's a terrible tragedy and the family are desperate to know why it happened.'

Paramedics battled to save the boy after he was pulled from the water by firefighters, some 100 yards from the bridge. He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead a short time later.
Detectives are continuing to appeal for information and believe that parts of the incident were captured on camera by members of the public.

Ms Blood wrote today: 'I lost my baby today. I love my little boy and did everything for him.

'I didn't know my child was dead until I got to A&E.
'We sat with him for hours, we held him, we kissed him and then I left.

'Let me grieve for my child, my whole world and so much more. I am alive, although I wish I was dead.'

Yesterday a barmaid working at the Lock Keeper told how a man came in and asked to buy a drink, but had no money.
She said: 'Then loads of people came in screaming that there's a baby in the river.

'He sat there and stared, he didn't move so the police were phoned and he just told a customer that he'd thrown his baby in the river.

'Everyone was up barring him, he sat there and stared and didn't move.
'The police were phoned to say 'we think we have who you're looking for'.'

Another witness told the Manchester Evening News: 'It was a very small child in the river, I thought it was a doll when I saw it.

'I thought someone was on the run.'
Another resident posted on social media: 'I was there 30 mins ago and everybody there was crying and saying a man has thrown his newborn in.'

Neighbours also revealed today Ms Blood, the mother of the child, is believed to be around three or four months pregnant.

Greater Manchester Police have now launched a murder investigation and a residential road near the scene has been cordoned off.
The force said a post mortem will take place tomorrow.

Tearful mourners, many who were mothers with young children, have left more than 100 bunches of flowers, soft toys and candles on the bridge.

Among the tributes was a large cuddly bear with a card that read: 'To a beautiful little boy. Sleep tight little man. Our thoughts are with your family. From all of us at Lidl Radcliffe.'
One card with flowers read: 'Goodnight and God Bless beautiful innocent boy. Fly high Angel.'

The boy's maternal grandfather Andy Blood was too upset to comment as he visited the bridge. He left a card that read: 'To my beautiful grandson. We love you so much RIP.'

His paternal grandfather Addy Eko wrote online: 'Good blees little man still got your dummy here il bring it soon say hi to your sister and nana so sorry which it me not you.
'So unfair livening now and always grandad sorry.'

Ms Blood's Facebook page is packed with pictures of her son. She announced her pregnancy in February 2018, where she wrote on Facebook: 'I honestly can not hold back anymore, we are over the moon that we are expecting a baby.'

After her first scan she wrote: 'Today we seen our little baba who has a very strong heartbeat, healthy and is perfect in every single way.
'Mummy & Daddy love you always our little cherub.

'The past ten weeks have flown by it won't be long until we meet you in person.'

In a selfie in hospital with her new son in October last year she wrote: 'He's just so perfect and so good. He was worth every bit of pain. We love you Zakari.'
Today a taxi driver who has lived on the street next to where the death took place said: 'I have never seen anything like it. Everyone is going mad around here.'

Another nearby neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: 'We looked out of the bedroom window and saw the cordons, that was about 5pm yesterday.

'It is just mad, there are no words to be spoken. We don't know the full situation.'
Detective Inspector Wes Knights, who is leading the investigation on behalf of the Major Incident Team, said they want to hear from anyone with 'images or videos which show the incident or the aftermath.'

He said today: 'This is an incredibly tragic incident which has taken the life of a baby boy, who we believe is only around 11-months-old.

'His family have understandably been left devastated by what has happened and we have specially trained officers providing them with support at this difficult time.
'We currently have a suspect in custody, who will be questioned by detectives later today, however our investigation does not stop there and we need anybody with information to come forward and help us get answers for this little boy's loved ones.

'We know that there were a significant number of witnesses to what happened and I want to urge those people to come forward and provide us with as much detail as they can.

'It's also possible that other people may have information about the circumstances leading up to the incident, as we know the baby had been in the area for a number of hours beforehand.
'We appreciate that the incident has caused a lot of concern locally, which is understandable, but I would ask that people please refrain from speculating on social media about the circumstances and who may or may not have been involved, as this is still a live criminal investigation.

'I would also like to say thank you to all those people who tried their best to help retrieve the baby from the river and to all those who have since provided support to the investigation by providing information.'

A spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: 'We were called at 4.28pm to a rescue of a person in water in Pilkington Way, Radcliffe.
'Fire engines from Whitefield, Farnworth and Eccles attended the incident along with a water incident unit from Eccles.

'Crews rescued one casualty who was then handed over to NWAS (North West Ambulance Service).'

Members of the community in Radcliffe have responded to the tragedy on social media, expressing their shock at the incident.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/ukne...ith-infants-mother/ar-AAHdvKP?ocid=spartanntp

The odd thing about the story is his brother is also serving life for murder,what sort of family environment produces young people like this?

RIP baby.

How a society could weed out those unfit to 'breed', I wouldn't know, but I sometimes think it would be a good idea .

zak eko..seriously ?

His brother,from different mothers,but bet the respective parents are so proud of how well their kids are doing