A mum accused of killing her four young sons, left them alone to pop to the shops when a fire broke out, the Old Bailey has heard.
Deveca Rose was charged with four counts of manslaughter after a fire tore through the ground floor of her mid-terrace house in Sutton, south London, killing twin brothers Kyson and Bryson, four, and three-year-old twins Leyton and Logan. The court heard the four children died after a discarded cigarette or upturned tea light sparked a blaze.
Prosecutor Kate Lumsdon KC told the court the boys died in a fire surrounded by rubbish and human excrement after their mother left them home alone. At about 6.30pm on December 16 2021, she left the children unattended at the house in Collingwood Road and went to Sainsbury’s, jurors were told.
While she was away, neighbours realised the house was on fire and could hear the children were inside and the door was shut, Ms Lumsdon said. She told jurors: “A neighbour kicked in the door but the fire had taken hold to the extent that it was impossible to enter. The fire brigade were called. Many units attended. Using appropriate protective clothing and breathing apparatus firemen put out the fire and entered the house.
“They found the four boys under a bed in the upstairs front room. They were limp and unconscious. Firemen noted that there was rubbish all over the floor of the house and human excrement. There was a mattress and a door on the stairs.”
Attempts to save the children were made on the pavement outside, but jurors were told there was nothing that could be done, and they were pronounced dead in hospital. The cause of death was later given as inhalation of fire fumes.
The defendant arrived back from the supermarket as firefighters were still tackling the blaze and she was taken in by a neighbour. Jurors were told the boys’ father had also gone to the scene. Ms Lumsdon said Rose had claimed she left the children with a woman called Jade, which prompted firefighters to go back into the house to search for her.
But the prosecutor told jurors there was no sign of the friend, and extensive inquiries had led to the “firm conclusion” that Jade either did not exist or played no part in events of that evening. Following her arrest, Rose maintained in a prepared statement that she had left the children in the care of a friend called Jade. Ms Lumsdon said: “Despite following all the leads provided by Ms Rose and conducting their own investigations, the police could find no trace of Jade.”
The court was told how the children were known to social services but their case was closed three months before their deaths. Members of the children’s paternal family had concerns, and their paternal grandmother had not visited the house often as Rose was “cagey” about letting her in, jurors were told. After inappropriate behaviour was raised at school, social services intervened between July and September 2021, jurors heard.
On a visit in July 2021, a social worker found rubbish at the house, a “very strong unpleasant smell” and was worried that Rose had not taken care of herself. Jurors were told that Rose did not engage in further planned home visits and the case was closed in September 2021. The children had not attended school for three weeks before the fire.
A fire investigation found the blade was caused by a discarded cigarette or upturned tea light candle near the sofa in the downstairs front room and spread by igniting rubbish on the floor. Jurors were told that there were numerous cigarette ends, lighters, tea lights and incense sticks – and the property was 20cm deep in rubbish.
Rose, of Wallington, south London, has denied the charges against her and the trial continues.
Dalton Hoath, 28, the boy's father had said they were "bright, caring, loveable boys but most of all sons, brothers, grandsons, great-grandsons, nephews and cousins". He said in a statement at the time: "We would like to thank all the emergency services who did so much to try and save our boys, and also the local community who have come together at this difficult time."
He added that he didn't know how he will carry on his life without his beloved sons. He said: “It’s a miracle I haven’t lost the plot already.” The dad said the foursome had been talking about their upcoming first football match that would have been carrying on a family tradition, as the family have supported Wimbledon for years.
The youngsters' grandfather Jason Hoath, a security officer at AFC Wimbledon, identified his grandchildren in hospital with his son Dalton and said they looked “like angels”. Sharing a a moving tribute after their deaths on Facebook, he described them as his “smart and beautiful grandsons”.
He wrote: "I am devastated to say that the horrendous house fire that took place in Sutton last night leading to four children loosing their lives were my amazing, smart and beautiful grandsons. Kyson and Bryson, aged four, and Leyton and Logan, aged three, were taken too soon they will always be in our hearts and thoughts. Boys, I love you forever. Grandad xxx".