Four children died in fire while mother went shopping after social services closed family’s case

Deveca Rose is accused of being being responsible for the deaths of Kyson, Bryson, Leyton and Logan Hoath in Sutton on December 16 2021

Four children who died in a house fire while their mother went to Sainsbury’s had their case closed by social services just three months earlier, a court heard.
Deveca Rose, 29, is accused of being being responsible for the deaths of twins Kyson and Bryson Hoath, aged four, and twins Leyton and Logan Hoath, aged three, who died in a fire in Sutton, south London, on December 16 2021.
She denies four counts of manslaughter and one of child cruelty.
The fire started from either a discarded cigarette or an upturned tea light that spread to rubbish on the floor and then engulfed the living room sofa, the Old Bailey heard.
The fire brigade found the four boys under a bed in the upstairs front room, the court heard. They also reported “rubbish all over the floor of the house and human excrement”. There was also a mattress and a door lying on the stairs.
Ms Rose claims she had left the children with a woman called Jade, but police have not found evidence to support that “Jade” exists, the court heard.
The incident came just months after social services had closed the family’s case after Ms Rose stopped engaging with meetings, and after the children had stopped going to school.
Prosecutor Kate Lumsdon, KC, said the children were left unattended at around 6:30pm that day when Ms Rose went to the supermarket.
Neighbours realised the house was on fire while she was out and could hear the children inside.
“A neighbour kicked in the door but the fire had taken hold to the extent that it was impossible to enter,” Ms Lumsdon said.
“Lifesaving attempts were made on the pavement outside, but there was nothing that could be done.”
“As the firefighters were tackling the blaze, Deveca Rose arrived back from Sainsbury’s,” Ms Lumsdon said.
“She said that she had left the children in the care of a woman called Jade. The fire brigade went back into the property to search for Jade but there was no sign of another person within the property.
“Extensive investigation by the police, combined with inconsistent information provided by Ms Rose about Jade, leads the crown to the firm conclusion that Jade did not exist, or, if she existed at all, she did not play the part ascribed to her by Ms Rose that night.”
Logan and Leyton were taken to St Helier Hospital while Kyson and Bryson were taken to St Georges Hospital along with their mother. Ms Rose was arrested at the hospital for child neglect.
Ms Rose was a single mother to the four children after splitting from their father, Dalton Hoath.
Ms Lumsdon said: “Evidence from the paternal family and the children’s schools indicates that Ms Rose was considered to be a good mother and kept her children clean and tidy.
“However, there were concerns.”
The children’s paternal great-grandmother Sally Johnson said Ms Rose had stopped letting her go any further into the house than the front room and would tell her to go to a local shop to use the toilet.
The children’s paternal grandmother said Ms Rose was ‘cagey’ about letting her into the house so she had not visited for a year before the fire, the court heard.
GP records from a visit in December 2020 noted a ‘chaotic home environment’ and broken window but Ms Rose did not accept the help offered, the court heard.
Social services were engaged with the children between July and September 2021.
In an email, the social worker said the front garden was full of rubbish which she had to climb over to get inside.
She said: “There was a very strong unpleasant smell, I also believe Deveca had body odour and it worries me that she hasn’t taken care of herself since Monday’s visit.
“I asked to see the boys and Deveca refused saying they were asleep. I went to leave but asked again as I was going, Deveca then became quite manic and was defensive, walking out the door with me and pulling it closed behind her.
“I am concerned about her mental health and the fact that she refused to let me see the boys.”
Ms Rose did not engage in further meetings so social services decided to close the case, jurors were told.
Ms Rose’s next-door neighbour said she would hear her shouting at the children.
She said there was a problem with rats because of the rubbish outside and the children did not play in the garden.
The boys had not been to school for three months before the fire but teachers did not think this was unusual because of Covid, the court heard.
Ms Rose went to the school on the day of the fire to collect some Christmas presents for the children.
She went to Sainsbury’s with the children at 2pm.
At 6pm a neighbour said she heard Rose ‘screaming, shouting and swearing’ at the children.
She was shouting “why would you f–ing do that?” as the children cried, the court heard.
Ms Lumsdon said: “CCTV shows that Ms Rose went to Sainsbury’s again, this time alone, at around 7pm. The items purchased are non-essential items.”
Ms Rose, wearing sunglasses, headphones and a large coat, sobbed and made loud moaning noises in the dock as the jury was sworn in on Monday morning.
Her junior barrister sat in the dock beside her as the judge asked her to raise her head so the jury could check if they recognised her.
Asked if she recognised any members of the jury, she said she could not see anything.
Jurors were told she had issues with her eyes and would observe proceedings for the rest of the day via a link from a room with lower lighting.
Ms Rose denies four counts of manslaughter and one of cruelty to a person under 16.
The trial continues.