A DAD who drowned his little girl and her pet dogs in the bath before killing himself, dreamt of murdering his family just weeks before, an inquest was told.

Depressed Darren Flux-Edmonds, 44, was looking after daughter Keziah Flux-Edmonds at her Isle of Wight home when he sent a chilling text to his estranged wife saying: "You have left me with nothing, I'll leave you with only memories."

Hysterical Nikki called police who found Darren had hanged himself in the loft – while six-year-old Keziah was lying unconscious in bed cuddled up to her pets Arnie and Maxiumus.

Both the dogs were soaking wet and it is believed Flux-Edmonds drowned them both after he had killed his Disney-obsessed daughter.

The dad-of-one was looking after Keziah while her mum had popped out to work for an hour.

He sent her the ominous message 25 minutes after she left the house.

Isle of Wight Coroners Court was told the 44-year-old  had seen a therapist over his mental health – telling them he had nightmares about murdering his wife and daughter.

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The pair had separated after 12 years of marriage and he had been living with his mother June Flux at her home in April this year.

Darren was taking anti-depressants, and had taken part in three sessions in cognitive behavioural therapy before the tragedy.

Reading from a therapist's report from May 11, coroner Caroline Sumeray said: "Patient has had nightmares about murdering his wife and daughter.

"He said this is something he would never actually do.

"He loved them enormously and had never hurt someone in the past."

But a serious case review, published by the Isle of Wight Safeguarding Children Board, has found there was no way the tragic incident could have been foreseen.

The report concluded: "Although it is tempting to seek to identify points at which the father's intentions could have been thwarted, there is little if anything to suggest that this would have been possible during the short time period during which he accessed services.

"On the basis of the information available to them, neither the professionals involved, nor [Keziah]'s mother, had reason to believe the father had the capacity to commit such an appalling action."

The authors of the report said the case had "identified areas for learning and improvement" and offered five recommendations to improve local services.

Among the recommendations put forward is for an improved communication strategy between the various health bodies on the Isle of Wight and the need to "Think Family" when delivering care.

Mrs Flux-Edmonds, a financial service administrator, had been on her way to see a customer when she pulled her car over and read her husband's chilling message.

She immediately called police and made her way to her home in East Cowes, Isle of Wight.

Keziah was rushed to hospital but despite the efforts of officers and paramedics, she died later that day on June 1, 2016.

In a statement read out by the coroner in December, Mrs Flux-Edmonds' said her "world was over".

The inquest heard Flux-Edmonds had agreed to look after Keziah at her home while Mrs Flux-Edmonds went out for work, and she described how Darren seemed "different".
"He was quiet," she said.

"He always asked me if I had thought about getting back with him but he didn't ask. I felt he wasn't happy.

She was my world. Darren has killed my baby and my boys [the dogs]. He was petrified I was going to go with someone else and did that to punish me.

"I was only going to be gone an hour and thought it would be fine.

"I asked if he felt alright and he said he felt unwell, I said I could take Keziah, he said he was feeling unwell but would be fine.

"Keziah and I had planned to go to Jolly Rogers play area when I got home from my round.

"[As I left] I saw him sat on the couch and she leaned on him, I saw them through the window."

It was the last she saw of her daughter, and around 25 minutes later she received the text message from Darren but was unable to read it straight away as she was driving.

She pulled over and read the message, which was not read out in full during the inquest, after seeing the first line said "congratulations, you have finally…"

The last line of the message said "you have taken everything and I will leave you with just memories".

In her statement she said she believed his long text message was prepared the night before or the morning of the incident as Darren, who was dyslexic, had used words he would not normally be able to spell.

She said she believed he used an aid which types whatever you say into the phone.

She added the text would have taken him around 20 minutes and if that were the case, he "would not have had time to do what he did".

Mrs Flux-Edmonds said: "There was never a moment when Darren could not see Keziah. She loved Darren. She thought the sun shone out of him.

"She was my world. Darren has killed my baby and my boys [the dogs]. He was petrified I was going to go with someone else and did that to punish me.

"My world is over. I have nothing left, my whole life was Keziah. She was my only chance of having a child. I did everything to make her happy and I have nothing left."

On a bed was a young small child. She was laying on her back and her head was to the left. She appeared to be in her pyjamas, on each side of her was a dog.

PC Matthew Romsey, one of the first officers at the scene, said in a statement that he first found Darren hanging as he entered the house.

He said: "Nicola [Nikki] was sobbing asking where her little girl was, saying 'darling where are you? If you're hiding, come out'.

"On a bed was a young small child. She was laying on her back and her head was to the left. She appeared to be in her pyjamas, on each side of her was a dog.

"The child's arms had been moved to look like she was cuddling each of the dogs. Around the child's mouth was foam.

"I was overcome with shock and upset. I requested PC Fletcher go downstairs to prevent Nicola coming in."

The inquest heard Keziah was cold and wet to touch.

PC Fletcher began rescue breaths while "urging the child to wake" and another officer, who had arrived at the house, performed chest compressions before paramedics arrived and the youngster was taken to St Mary's Hospital, Isle of Wight.

Coroner Sumeray concluded Keziah's death was an unlawful killing and that Darren had killed himself.

She said: "Keziah died of drowning.

"She was forcibly submerged in the bathtub of her home address in East Cowes, Isle of Wight and my conclusion is unlawful killing.

"Darren died from a suspension by a ligature consistent with hanging.

"He suspended himself by a ligature around the neck. My conclusion is he killed himself."

Speaking directly to Mrs Flux-Edmonds, who clutched a framed photograph of her daughter throughout the hearing, and the rest of the family, she gave her deepest sympathy.

She added: "This is the most awful case. You have conducted yourself with great dignity and courage. You must not blame yourself for what happened, it was totally unforeseeable."

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