Need to know
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Karen Bassett’s mother, Ann Green, was found dead at a residence in Wales on September 27, 2025.
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Bassett revealed in a BBC interview on Friday, February 6 that she first learned of her mother’s death through a post on Facebook.
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“It was scary and then I had to break the news to other family members,” she said, referring to how her mother’s handling of the death escalated as a result of the social media post.
A woman in England is reliving the moment she found out her mother was murdered through a Facebook post.
Karen Bassett, from Chepstow, Monmouthshire, south-east Wales, learned of her mother Ann Green’s death after a friend posted an article on social media, according to the BBC.
West Mercia Police previously confirmed that Green was found dead at an address on Apple Tree Close in the Herefordshire town of Bromyard on September 27, 2025, according to a news release. Police said a 54-year-old man has been charged with murder.
The man charged is Green’s partner, Julian Thomas, who will appear at Worcester Crown Court on February 27, the BBC reported.
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Bassett told the outlet that she learned of her mother’s death, “I got a message on September 27th from a friend who said, ‘I’m sure your mom told me this is where she lives,'” adding, “She sent me an article from a certain place that was published on social media.”
“I read the article and the ages matched so I commented that this was where my mom lived because it was a little cul-de-sac, literally everybody knew everybody,” Bassett continued.
“People even wrote ‘RIP N’ on the post and that’s when I [realized] She was my mother,” she told the BBC. “So I called my local police because I’m in South Wales and I was sure it was my mother who had been murdered and they said they’d do some enquiries.
After being told she would be met by someone from West Mercia Police in 40 minutes, Bassett said she “knew straight away” it was her mother.
The mother-of-three told the BBC: “It was heartbreaking. I felt angry, I felt emotional, I felt disappointed. I shouldn’t have found out like this,” adding, “It was horrible and then I had to break the news to other family members myself and some family members asked me if I was the mother. It was just horrible.”
A West Mercia Police spokesman said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE: “We continue to express our condolences. [to] Ms. Green’s family and loved ones at this very sad and difficult time.
“The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is continuing its independent investigation into our contact with Ms Green prior to her death, as well as the steps the force took to notify the family of her death,” they continued.
“It would be inappropriate to comment while that investigation is ongoing, but we will do so as soon as possible,” the statement said.
Bassett told the BBC that she had apologized to West Mercia Police, but said: “I don’t think it will ever go well.”
“Nobody should have to find out their loved ones have been taken through social media,” he added to the outlet.
“Following an assessment of a referral from West Mercia Police we are investigating police contact between Anne Marie Green and her partner, Julian Thomas, prior to Ms Green’s death on 27 September 2025,” an IOPC spokesperson said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
“We are examining the police response to a number of incidents recorded by the force from February 2024 to September 2025 with Mr Thomas as the suspect and Ms Green as the victim,” they added.
“Our investigation is considering the actions and decisions taken by West Mercia Police in relation to the risk assessment and the appropriateness of the protection put in place for Ms Green and if any actions or measures designed to protect Ms Green were followed,” the spokesperson continued.
“We are also looking at the timeliness and steps taken by the force to notify Ms Green’s family of her death,” they concluded.
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Green’s family previously said in a tribute released by West Mercia Police on October 2: “We are mourning the loss of a wonderful mother, stepmother, wife, sister, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother.”
“Our mother was one of a kind. Always took everyone as her own,” they added. “She was kind, caring and as a family we are all lost without her.”
“Losing him has left a huge hole in our lives that will never be filled,” the family continued. “We will now focus on grieving as a family and getting him the justice he deserves.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Karen Bassett for further comment.
Read the original article on People
