A tragic incident unfolded as a mother was found guilty of causing the death of her four young sons in a house fire. Deveca Rose, 34, was charged with four counts of manslaughter following a fire that engulfed the ground floor of her mid-terrace home in Sutton, south London, claiming the lives of twin brothers Kyson and Bryson, aged four, and three-year-old twins Leyton and Logan.
The court at the Old Bailey heard that the children tragically perished after a discarded cigarette or overturned tea light sparked a fire in their home. After three hours and 22 minutes of deliberation, a jury reached a majority verdict of 11 to one, finding Rose guilty of manslaughter but acquitting her of child cruelty. Judge Mark Lucraft KC described the case as “tragic” and postponed sentencing to November 15, granting Rose bail.
During the trial, it was revealed that Rose had left her sons unattended at home to go shopping at Sainsbury’s, where CCTV footage showed her struggling to manage the children. The fire broke out while she was away, and neighbours noticed the blaze, with the children trapped inside. Despite efforts by firefighters to save them, the boys were found unconscious under a bed and later pronounced dead in the hospital due to inhalation of fire fumes.
The court also learned that Rose had mentioned a friend named Jade as being with the children, but investigations revealed no evidence of Jade’s existence or involvement in the events of that night. Social services had previously been involved with the family, raising concerns about the children’s well-being, with the case being closed three months before the fatal incident.
Witnesses described a heartbreaking scene in court as transcripts of Rose’s arrest were read out, revealing her initial disbelief at the tragic news. The prosecution shared insights from a psychiatrist who diagnosed Rose with a recurrent depressive disorder, noting a deterioration in her mental state leading up to the incident. Despite being deemed unfit for work since April 2021, Rose chose not to testify in her defence during the trial.
As the community grapples with the devastating loss of four young lives, the tragic consequences of that fateful day continue to reverberate. The courtroom scenes and testimonies laid bare the heartbreaking reality of the incident, shedding light on the complexities and challenges faced by families in distress.