The death of a two-year-old Bradford boy is being treated as murder.

The child, Harris Dunbar, who had lived with his mother at a women's refuge, had been pronounced dead at the accident and emergency department of Bradford Royal Infirmary on Sunday, July 16.

Coroner's Officer Alan Cooper told an inquest hearing in Bradford yesterday that a Home Office pathologist had carried out a post-mortem examination but had not been able to establish the cause of Harris's death.

A second post-mortem had since been conducted and the results of the toxicological tests were still being awaited.

"This is now a full homicide inquiry," said Mr Cooper.

Detective Superintendent Tim Forber, of West Yorkshire police's homicide and major inquiry team, said that a 27-year-old woman had been arrested on suspicion of murder after the results of initial tests were known.

The woman was interviewed last month and released on police bail. Detective Superintendent Forber said he expected she would be interviewed again.

The assistant deputy coroner, Paul Marks, adjourned the inquest to await the outcome of the criminal investigations and agreed to release the child's body so that a funeral could take place.

Harris had been living with his mother at the refuge for women run by a voluntary organisation, the Fairweather Project.

He had been on the child protection register.

Bradford social workers had been involved in the family's welfare.

Social services chiefs have been assisting the police with their investigations.

e-mail: newsdesk@bradford.newsquest.co.uk