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Ms. Boots is also believed to have attempted suicide before her arrest, the Telegraph reported.

Mr. Boots, who had previously worked at BMO Capital Markets, was heard wailing in the street shortly before paramedics and police arrived at their five-bedroom home.

“I heard him, he was obviously upset, it was not really sobbing, but I don’t want to say what I heard,” a neighbour told the Telegraph. “It was just after 7 p.m. and the man I heard had a North American accent. I had never seen the mother as they had only just moved in.”

Another neighbour, Oliver Jones, told the Telegraph that about 40 emergency workers, including police and ambulance officers, arrived at the family’s home on Wednesday night.

Ms. Boots was led out of the home about two hours later, he added.

“She seemed very placid, she was very calm,” Mr. Jones told the Telegraph. “She walked to the police car. She was not in handcuffs.”

The family moved from Canada to the U.K. a few years ago. Mr. Boots had previously worked for the Royal Bank of Canada.

RBC would not comment on personnel matters, but a spokeswoman said: “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Jeff and his family.”

Some of the Boots’ neighbours told the London Evening Standard that the couple had moved in to the three-storey home just recently.

“It’s such a tragedy, I can’t believe it,” said Jackie Cook, 52. “Last night there were police swarming everywhere. There were ambulances and police cars all along the road. I think they only moved a couple of weeks ago.”