Police say death of pregnant woman killed by train is a case of 'child destruction'

Police are investigating the death of a pregnant woman who died after "jumping in front of a train" as a suspected case of "child destruction".

The tragic incident occurred at the busy Slough railway station in Berkshire during rush hour on Monday (8 January) morning.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers, along with officers from Thames Valley Police and paramedics, arrived at the scene around 7.14am but the woman and her unborn baby died at the station.

The death was initially being treated as "suspicious" but a British Transport Police spokeswoman later told the Mirror that the death was actually being investigated as "child destruction".

The woman's next of kin were informed and specialist officers are providing support to her family.

"BTP officers are continuing to investigate the fatality at Slough Railway station," the British Transport Police said in a statement to the media.

"Officers were called to the station at 7.14am to reports that a woman had been struck by a train.

"She was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

"The woman has not yet been formally identified but it is believed she had been pregnant at the time of her death," the statement continued. "Officers are continuing to work to establish the circumstances around how the woman came to be struck by the train."

Oliver Riley, a passenger aboard the train from Paddington that struck the woman said the delays "inconvenient, but the circumstances are sad. Someone has had a much worse day than me". Specialists are checking after the train conductor and staff who witnessed the incident.

According to the Mirror, passengers said the station was evacuated and then cordoned off, affecting the morning commute. Lines between Reading and London Paddington were blocked as the deaths were investigated, with train services delayed by up to two hours or cancelled.

By lunchtime, some lines had reopened but the disruption was expected to continue. "Following a person being hit by a train between London Paddington and Reading some lines have no reopened," a Great Western Railway spokesperson tweeted.

The BBC reported that all lines through Slough have now been reopened.

The statement by British Transport Police added: "Anyone with information is asked to contact BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61 016 with reference 54 of the 8th January."