Father, 44, is charged with murdering his teenage daughter, 19 on quiet cul-de-sac in Norfolk 

The father of a teenage girl who died after allegedly being hit by a car in a cul-de-sac on a quiet housing estate has been charged with her murder.

Nigel Malt, 44, is said to have driven his daughter Lauren Malt, 19, to hospital after the collision near a play area in Leete Way, West Winch, near Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

Norfolk Police said they were called to reports of a disturbance in the road and a teenager being hit by a car just before 7.30pm on Sunday.

Lauren, who has been provisionally identified by police, was pronounced dead soon after she arrived at the 515-bed hospital.

Mr Malt, of Lynn Road, King’s Lynn, was initially arrested at the hospital on suspicion of murder, drink-driving and causing death by dangerous driving.

He was charged tonight after being questioned at the Police Investigation Centre in King’s Lynn and will appear before Norwich magistrates on Wednesday.

Residents of Leete Way said they heard the sound of an argument before a car allegedly ploughed into Lauren.

Norfolk Police said a Home Office post-mortem examination carried out today established her preliminary cause of death as chest and abdominal injuries. 

One resident of Leete Way, who asked not to be named, said: ‘We heard a loud bang and a load of people shouting and screaming, followed by the sound of a car speeding off.

‘I went out and asked a neighbour what had happened. I was told that a girl had been hit by a car. There was signs of a collision in the road, but the girl was not there.’

Another woman neighbour said: ‘It’s horrendous. I saw the flashing lights of the police cars late in the evening.

‘I looked out of the window and thought, ‘What the hell is going on?’ Then this morning they were scrubbing the road round the corner. 

‘It is awful to think what has happened to this girl. This is normally a really quiet place. You don’t expect anything like this.’

Another resident said: ‘I got home from work at 9pm and found the area all taped off by the police. I heard this morning that there had been a huge argument.’ 

Houses on Leete Way, Norfolk are worth around £180,000 and detached properties can sell for an average of £250,000. 

A friend of Lauren paid tribute to her in a Facebook post, saying: ‘You my dear angel meant the world to me and I’m so sorry you’re gone.

‘I can’t quite get my head around it. My rock. My little bean. My best friend. We had so many plans, but now we’re apart. I will miss you every waking moment my love.’

A second friend posted: ‘She was funny and nice and pretty. I will miss her so much.’

One described her as ‘such a lovely polite girl’ and another added: ‘She had a heart of gold. Fly high my angel.’

Another said: ‘She truly was one of a kind and will be missed by so many – such a wonderful caring young person taken from us too soon. My heart goes to her family xx.’

Norfolk Police staff are making house-to-house inquiries, asking residents if they had any relevant CCTV images or video from doorbell cameras. 

Officers said the incident in West Winch was unconnected to a second murder investigation launched just eight miles away after a man aged in his 30s died from serious head injuries on Sunday night at a house in Bulrush Avenue, Downham Market, Norfolk.

A Norfolk Police statement said: ‘Police have launched a murder investigation following an incident near King’s Lynn on Sunday evening.

‘Officers were called to Leete Way in West Winch shortly before 7.30pm following reports of a disturbance in the street and that a woman had been hit by a car.

‘Units were deployed to the scene and following further information, officers were also dispatched to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where the casualty, a woman in her late teens, had been taken. The woman was pronounced dead a short time later.

‘A man aged in his 40s was arrested at the hospital on suspicion of murder and causing death by dangerous driving. He has been taken to King’s Lynn Police Investigation Centre where he will be questioned.’

The statement said that Leete Way was initially cordoned off to allow ‘collision scene investigations’ to be carried out. The road was later reopened. 

Norfolk’s local policing commander Superintendent Wes Hornigold said: ‘We have a team of experienced detectives on this case who are working to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

‘Officers are working to build a picture of what’s happened, and the victim’s family are being supported by our liaison officers.

‘I can confirm all those involved are known to one another and we’re confident the wider public were not at risk.

‘This is one of two murder investigations launched in the west of the county last night. A separate team of detectives continue to investigate a murder in Downham Market in which a 39-year-old man died. These are both tragic incidents and our thoughts are with those affected.

‘We recognise the timing and proximity of both incidents may lead to wider concern in our communities. However, I would stress they are separate investigations and are not connected in any way.

‘Such circumstances are unusual for Norfolk and we will have additional high-visibility patrols in both areas over the coming days.’    

Officers have spoken to a number of witnesses already, however anyone who believes they may have information or CCTV relevant to the enquiry, should contact the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team on 101 quoting Operation Redmere.