Father watched paramedics fight to save his six-year-old daughter's life before being arrested in connection with her death

A father who watched paramedics try to save the life of his six-year-old girl was later arrested in connection with her death.

Ben Butler, 33, cradled his other three-year-old daughter in his arms as ambulance staff spent 15 minutes trying to revive daughter Ellie near their home in Sutton, south London, on Monday afternoon.

Despite paramedics' best efforts, the little girl was pronounced dead at hospital later that day. Within hours Butler was arrested.

Neighbour Melanie Hutson, 25, a waitress, said Butler was 'white as a sheet' as paramedics worked on his daughter.

She said: 'The paramedics came out first with Ellie. She was on a stretcher. She had her pyjamas bottom on but no top. They took her down to the ambulance on the ground floor.

'There was about six of them there trying to revive her. One was pumping on her chest, the others just seemed to be standing around.

'Her father was walking behind carrying his other daughter. You could tell he was in a right state. He just looked completely shocked. He was white as a sheet.

'He wasn't saying anything just looking at the ambulance staff. He was about 10ft away. I've never seen a look like that on someone's face before.

'There was no sign of the mother at all. I'm guessing she must have been out or in the house because she wasn't there the whole time.'

Ellie lived with her father, mother Jennie Gray and her little three-year-old sister on the Shanklin Estate in Sutton.

Tributes to the six-year-old have been left outside the family home, one read: 'RIP Ellie, sweet dream,

Another, read: 'RIP Ellie, rest with the angels'.

Neighbours expressed their sadness at Ellie's death with one saying it was very raw and another describing it as awful.

Today a neighbour, who didn't want to be named, said: 'She was a sweet little girl, really nice and friendly. She would also say hello, always smiling. She might have had a good life. Now that's never going to happen. So sad.'

A Police spokesman said: 'Police were called by London Ambulance Service shortly after 15.35hrs on Monday, 28 October, regarding a six-year-old girl found collapsed at an address in Sutton.

'She was taken to a south London hospital where she died at 16.01hrs. Next of kin are aware.

'Officers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are investigating.

'Enquiries continue into the circumstances of the death which at this early stage is being treated as unexplained.

'A 33-year-old man has been arrested in connection with this investigation and remains in custody at a south London police station.'

A post-mortem examination will be held on Thursday.

Via: Dialymail