While on spring holiday from school, Olivia had an afternoon playdate with a friend in the neighborhood. The kids were outside in the backyard along with the friend’s mother.
Her mother, Laura-Lee Patterson, and her two younger children were in their living room. Their father (Laura-Lee’s fiancé), Jason Austin, was at work. Because their youngest child, Joel-James, 1, will only take contact naps, Laura-Lee was holding him on the couch to help him fall asleep. Then her daughter Tiffany, 2, snuggled up next to the pair for her nap. Laura-Lee’s eyes eventually drifted closed as well.
Hearing a “popping” and “cracking,” Olivia looked up from the backyard and saw the house attached to her home “engulfed in smoke and flames,” says her mother.
Mr Harris was pronounced dead shortly after he was found in the River Don in Mexborough at around 07:36 BST on Thursday.
Two men, aged 30 and 32, were arrested on suspicion of murder. They have now been released on bail pending further inquiries, South Yorkshire Police said.
Officers appealed for anyone with information or relevant dashcam or CCTV footage to come forward.
Det Ch Insp Tom Woodward said: “We are particularly interested in people who were in and around the Doncaster Road, Mexborough, area between the hours of 06:00 to 08:00 BST on Thursday morning.
“We believe Jim was traveling in this area at the time and was using a walking stick as an aid.”
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