Second-degree murder charge laid as death of woman in south London deemed ‘femicide’

London police have charged a man following a woman’s death this morning at a home on Westminster Avenue.

A London man is facing a second-degree murder charge after a woman suffering from a “traumatic injury” later died in what police are calling an act of femicide.

According to a news release from the London Police Service, at approximately 5:15 a.m. on Friday emergency services responded to a report of a death at a home on Westminster Avenue.

Upon arrival, police say an adult woman suffering from a traumatic injury was located inside the home. She was transported to hospital by paramedics, where she was pronounced deceased.

On Friday evening, police announced Alton Farquharson, 56, of London, has been charged with second degree murder.

He was held in custody to appear in London court on Friday and was remanded into custody with a future court date of Dec. 23.

The deceased and the man in custody were known to each other.

Police say that out of respect for the wishes of her family the victim will not be identified.

“However, in the interest of enhancing public safety through greater awareness, this incident is being characterized as a femicide,” police added.

“In the majority of cases, ‘intimate partner violence’ [IPV] can be expressed more directly as ‘men’s violence against women.’ In fact, nearly 80 percent of victims of IPV or gender-based violence are women.” said Deputy Chief Paul Bastien. “This, along with the fact that intimate partner violence in general is underreported, is why enhanced training, education, intervention, data collection, and reporting are so important.”