Mother convicted of killing four sons in Sutton house fire
Mother left sons alone as fire erupted in squalid Sutton home
A mother has been convicted of killing her four young sons who perished in a house fire after she locked them inside to go shopping at Sainsbury’s. Deveca Rose, 30, left her two sets of twins alone in their terraced house in Sutton, southwest London, when the fire erupted on the evening of December 16, 2021.
The Old Bailey heard that Leyton and Logan Hoath, aged three, and four-year-olds Kyson and Bryson Hoath, cried out for help. A neighbour attempted to break down the front door before firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus entered and found the boys’ bodies under beds.
Rose, who had separated from her partner and struggled with mental health issues, denied charges of manslaughter and child cruelty. The boys’ family wept as the jury returned guilty verdicts on four counts of manslaughter after three hours and 22 minutes of deliberation. Rose was acquitted of child cruelty.
Deveca Rose faces jail for allowing her four children to die in a room full of excrement and burning rubbish. Rose blamed the fire on an imaginary lover called 'Jade' https://t.co/ILTyiBamyT pic.twitter.com/Bp5mkv5X03
— CourtNewsUK (@CourtNewsUK) October 3, 2024
Judge Mark Lucraft KC described it as a ‘tragic case’ and postponed her sentencing to November 15, granting her continued bail. The family had been living in squalor, surrounded by rubbish and human waste, prior to the tragedy. Prosecutor Kate Lumsdon KC informed the court that rubbish was thickly spread throughout the house. The toilet and bath were unusable, filled with rubbish, and buckets and pots were used as toilets instead. A cigarette or tea light in the living room ignited the fire, trapping the boys who ran upstairs calling for help.
In a statement after the verdicts, the boys’ family expressed that Bryson, Kyson, Leyton, and Logan were taken from them in a senseless act of negligence. The impact on their father Dalton and the family has been immense. They had endured three years of false narratives and speculation, which included claims about Christmas tree lights and a babysitter. The family thanked the Courts, Jury, and Police Investigation Team for their efforts to ensure justice.
The boys were rushed to two separate hospitals but died from inhaling fire fumes later that night. Rose returned home while firefighters were still battling the blaze and was taken in by a neighbour. She claimed she left the children with a friend named Jade, prompting a search that revealed Jade either did not exist or was not present that day.
In police interviews, Rose admitted to leaving the boys alone on two prior occasions. The children’s father, Dalton Hoath, revealed in a statement that she had previously left the children alone to visit a nearby shop. Devastated by the loss, he described his world as turned upside down by the tragedy.
Paternal great-grandmother Sally Johnson stated that Rose would leave the boys alone, though she claimed she only went to a local shop seven houses away. Johnson recalled instances where Kyson answered the phone and said, “Mummy has gone to the pop shop”. Paternal step-grandmother Kerrie Hoath described the boys as ‘polite, carefree, and very much loved’ but noted that Rose often refused her entry into the house. Kerrie recounted being directed to use a Tesco toilet instead of the house’s facilities.
Jurors learned that social worker Georgia Singh had raised concerns about the family, but the case was closed three months before the fire. Defence barrister Laurie-Anne Power KC highlighted Rose’s declining physical appearance, mental health, and neglect of her children, questioning the decision to close the case. Singh agreed with the concerns but believed they had been addressed by another social worker during her last visit in July 2021.
Previously, a health visitor had raised concerns about the family, but these were not followed up after her retirement. The children had not attended school for three weeks before their deaths.
Rose, from Wallington, south London, attended much of the trial via video link from home due to medical advice and chose not to testify in her defence. The court heard evidence suggesting she was likely depressed and might have had a personality disorder, though the prosecution argued this was not a defence.
What Other Media Are Saying
- Standard.co.uk reports Deveca Rose, found guilty of manslaughter after leaving her twin boys and their siblings home alone, leading to a deadly house fire in Sutton, highlighting her mental health issues and neglect of her children’s welfare.(read more)
- The Guardian article highlights missed opportunities in children’s services, leading to four boys’ deaths in a Sutton house fire, emphasizing neglect, inadequate social services, and a dire living environment.(read more)
- The Guardian reports Deveca Rose found guilty of manslaughter after leaving her four young sons unattended at home, highlighting appalling living conditions and missed social services opportunities.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What was Deveca Rose found guilty of?
Deveca Rose was found guilty of four counts of manslaughter.
How did the boys die in the house fire?
The boys died from inhalation of fire fumes.
Why did the fire start in Deveca Rose’s house?
The fire started from a cigarette or tea light in the living room.
What was the condition of the house when the fire broke out?
The house was in squalor, filled with rubbish and human excrement.
What did Deveca Rose claim about leaving the children?
Deveca Rose claimed she left the children with a friend named Jade, who was later found not to exist.
