UK police cite ‘high dose’ in nerve agent death

The wide investigation is now a homicide inquiry. Basu expressed sorrow for the death of Sturgess, who had three children.

“Her death has only served to strengthen the resolve of the investigations team,” he said, saying the immediate police priority is to find any container that may be the source of the Novichok.

He said no one else in the Amesbury and Salisbury region where the couple lived in southwestern England has shown any sign of Novichok poisoning.

More than 100 police are working to try and search all areas where Sturgess and Rowley had been before they became ill nine days ago. The search is focused on their homes and a park in Salisbury.

Rowley remains in critical condition in a Salisbury hospital.

Britain blames the Russian state for the attack on Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter — an allegation Moscow has repeatedly denied.

A Kremlin spokesman Monday expressed condolences over Sturgess’ death.

Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow “is deeply concerned” over the poisoning cases in Britain. Peskov added that such attacks present a danger not only inside the U.K., but also in Europe as a whole.

Peskov said that linking Russia to the poisoning would be “absurd.”

Asked whether the death could cloud the upcoming U.S.-Russia summit in Helsinki next week, Peskov replied that the poisoning “has no relation” to the meeting. He said, “It’s Britain’s problem and the problem of how interested Britain is in a real investigation.”

Moscow says London has declined its offers for a joint investigation into the poisonings.

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Maria Danilova in Moscow contributed to this report.

Gregory Katz, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

UK police cite ‘high dose’ in nerve agent death

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