Deveca Rose, a 30-year-old mother, has been found guilty of the manslaughter of her four young sons, who tragically died in a house fire in Sutton, southwest London, in December 2021. Rose had left her two sets of twins—Leyton and Logan, aged three, and Kyson and Bryson, aged four—locked inside the family home while she went to a nearby Sainsbury’s.
The fire, which broke out in the living room, was believed to have been started by either a cigarette or a tea light. The court was told that the home was in disarray, filled with rubbish and human excrement, which allowed the flames to spread rapidly. According to police, the accumulation of debris on the floor made the fire even more difficult to contain.
As the fire engulfed the house, the four boys ran upstairs, calling for help. Neighbors attempted to break down the door, but firefighters wearing breathing apparatuses ultimately discovered the children’s bodies hidden under beds. Despite being rushed to hospitals, all four died from inhalation of fire fumes.
Rose arrived at the scene while firefighters were still battling the blaze. She initially claimed that she had left the boys in the care of a friend named Jade, prompting emergency services to search for the supposed babysitter. However, police investigations later revealed that this person either did not exist or had not been in the house that day.
In court, Rose admitted to having left her children alone at home on two previous occasions but denied four counts of manslaughter and one charge of child abandonment. On Thursday, she was convicted of manslaughter but cleared of the child abandonment charge. Her sentencing has been postponed until November 15.
The family of the boys expressed the profound impact of their loss, stating, “The last three years have been a nightmare… Our family will now take time to heal and let the boys rest.”
The children’s father, Dalton Hoath, who had separated from Rose, expressed his devastation at the loss of his “young, boisterous lads” and said his world had been turned “upside down.”
Evidence was presented in court suggesting that Rose may have been suffering from depression or a personality disorder at the time of the fire, but prosecutors argued that this did not excuse her actions.
Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend, who led the investigation, said, “Had [Rose] been in the house when the fire started, she may have been able to put it out, or at the very least get the children to safety.” She also criticized Rose for inventing a story about a non-existent babysitter rather than taking responsibility.
Social workers and a health visitor had previously raised concerns about the family’s situation, but no follow-up actions were taken in the months leading up to the tragic incident.
