The boy died after being found ‘screaming for help in the garden named as murder probe launched
A man and a woman have been arrested after Callum Riley’s death, police said
Callum Riley, a teenager at the center of a murder investigation in Rochdale, has been identified locally. Following his death on Saturday morning, an investigation was launched (September 17).
According to the Daily Record, he was found badly injured in the garden of a property on Atholl Drive in Heywood. Mr. Riley passed away a short time later. He was 17, according to reports.
Mr. Riley has not yet been formally identified, according to Greater Manchester Police. A post-mortem investigation is scheduled.
Mr. Riley was affectionately known as ‘Russell’ or ‘Russel’ to friends because he closely resembles a character in a film as a child. Hundreds of people have paid tributes on Facebook.
People on the scene, including a man who said he found Mr. Riley injured and performed CPR, confirmed his identity. The man, who did not want to be identified, told the Manchester Evening News that he found Mr. Riley in the garden of a house.
“I heard a load of screaming at 4.30 am,” he said. “We heard a scream for help and looked outside the bedroom window, but we couldn’t see anything.
“Half an hour later we heard a scream for help again. We just heard screaming, all we could hear was ‘help, help’.
“It wasn’t until when it was light out when someone knocked on and said there was a man in a garden. I went into the garden and I called the police and they asked me to perform CPR on him. It’s a sad thing, a young lad.”
On suspicion of murder, a 19-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman were arrested. On Saturday afternoon, the woman was being questioned by detectives. According to GMP, the man was in the hospital on Saturday morning being ‘treated for a wound.’
Detectives, who are appealing for information, stated that before Mr. Riley was found seriously injured, another man is believed to have asked for help from the occupants of a nearby property.
Mr. Riley has received many tributes on social media. Hundreds of people left heart emojis and ‘RIP’ messages beneath a photo of him that was posted to Facebook on Friday night.
On Saturday afternoon, a large police presence remained on Atholl Drive and surrounding roads. Several police vehicles, forensics teams, and plain-clothes officers were present at the scene.
GMP stated that investigations were “ongoing” and urged anyone with information to come forward. According to the police, there is no bigger threat to the community.
Detective Chief Inspector Gina Brennand, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “Our investigation is in the early stages and we are continuing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death of this man and ensure all of his loved ones are informed.
“Two suspects have been arrested – one is in police custody for questioning whilst the other is receiving hospital treatment for a wound. That being said, our enquiries are very much ongoing and anyone with information should contact us.
“We are aware of the impact this news will have on the community but do not believe there to be a risk of harm to members of the public. Officers from the Rochdale district will be providing a visible presence in the coming days for reassurance.”
