A mother has been convicted of manslaughter following the deaths of her four young children in a tragic house fire in south London. Deveca Rose, 30, appeared in court on Thursday, Oct. 3, after her twin boys were killed when a fire broke out at their Sutton home on Dec. 16, 2021, while she was out shopping.
Rose was charged with four counts of manslaughter and child abandonment in November 2023. She was found guilty of manslaughter but was acquitted of the child abandonment charge.
The fire claimed the lives of her twin sons, Leyton and Logan Hoath, aged 3, and Kyson and Bryson Hoath, aged 4. The boys were discovered unconscious in an upstairs bedroom by firefighters and were later pronounced dead at the hospital. According to the Metropolitan Police, a passerby noticed the blaze around 7:00 p.m. and alerted a neighbor, who attempted to enter the house but was unable to due to the fire’s intensity.
Investigators believe the fire started on the ground floor, likely ignited by a candle, tealight, or cigarette, and spread quickly due to the home’s unsanitary conditions, which included discarded items and rubbish. The children, who fled upstairs as the fire engulfed the house, were overcome by smoke. Post-mortem examinations confirmed that all four boys died from inhaling fire fumes, told The Times.
On the night of the fire, Rose claimed a woman named Jade, whom she had met only days earlier, was supposed to be watching the children. However, authorities found no evidence of Jade’s existence. “Hours of CCTV was viewed by officers who could find no trace of her having met with Jade,” the police revealed. Rose’s phone records also showed no contact with anyone named Jade, and her attempt to call the supposed babysitter in front of officers raised suspicion as the phone number was almost identical to her own.
In December 2021, Rose released a statement saying she would “never get over” the loss of her sons. The boys’ family described the tragedy as a “senseless act of negligence” and stated, “The last three years have been a nightmare,” adding they would now focus on healing.
Detective Chief Inspector Samantha Townsend emphasized the gravity of the case, saying, “Deveca Rose was the very person who should have protected and nurtured the four boys, but instead, put her own self-interest above their safety.” Townsend further noted that had Rose been home, she might have been able to save her children.
Rose has been released on bail and is due back in court for sentencing on Friday, Nov. 15.