A WOMAN has slammed police after finding out from a Facebook post that her mum had died in an alleged murder.

Karen Bassett Chepstow saw the post on social media last September saying her 61-year-old mother Ann Green had been found dead at a house in Bromyard, Herefordshire.

Ms Green's partner, Julian Thomas, aged 54, has since been charged with the great-grandmother's murder and will appear at Worcester Crown Court on February 27.

Ms Bassett told BBC West Midlands: "I received a message on 27 September from a friend who said 'I'm pretty sure this is where your mum told me she lives'.

"She'd sent me an article from a certain place that had published it on social media...

"The ages matched up so I commented that this was where my mum lives because it was a tiny cul-de-sac, literally everyone knows everyone.

"People were also writing 'RIP Ann' on the post and that's when I realised it was my mum.

"So I phoned my local police in South Wales and said I was pretty sure this was my mum that's been killed and they said they'd do some inquiries."

After then being told someone from West Mercia Police would be visiting her in 40 minutes, she added: “I then knew straight away that it was my mum...

"It was heartbreaking. I felt angry, I felt emotional, I felt like I ’d been let down. I shouldn't have found out that way.

"It was awful and I then had to pass the news on to other family members myself, and I even had some family members asking me if it was Mum. It was just awful."

Ms Bassett says West Mercia Police have apologised to her and passed the case on to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

But the mum of three says: "I don't think it will ever be good enough. No-one should ever have to find out their loved ones have been taken through social media."

West Mercia Police told the BBC it would not be appropriate for the force to comment while the investigation was still ongoing, but added: "We will as soon as we are able to."

The IOPC complaints watchdog is also investigating police contact with Anne Green before her death on September 27, 2025, following reports of several incidents.

A spokesperson said: “Our investigation is considering the actions and decisions taken by West Mercia Police in relation to the appropriateness of risk assessments and safeguards put in place for Ms Green and if any actions or measures designed to safeguard Ms Green, were adhered to.

“We are also looking at the timeliness and steps taken by the force to notify Ms Green’s family of her death."

In a statement following her death, the family said: "We are mourning the loss of a wonderful mum, stepmum, wife, sister, aunt, grandmother and great grandmother.

“Our mum was one of a kind. Always took in everybody as one of her own. She was kind, caring and as a family we are all lost without her.”