Mum GUILTY of killing four twin boys, aged 3 & 4, in house fire after leaving them alone in squalid home to go shopping
A MUM has been found guilty of killing her four twin boys in a house fire after leaving them alone in a squalid home to go shopping.
Leyton and Logan Hoath, three, and Kyson and Bryson Hoath, four, died surrounded by rubbish and human faeces in their squalid home.
Deveca Rose, 29, left the children locked inside as she popped out to buy "non essential" items at Sainsbury's.
The boys were heard desperately screaming "there's a fire" as flames engulfed the terraced home in Sutton, South London, just days before Christmas.
Rose has now been found guilty of four counts of manslaughter after three hours and 22 minutes of deliberation but was cleared of child cruelty.
The Old Bailey heard a discarded cigarette or upturned tea light sparked the blaze after it ignited a mountain of rubbish on the floor.
Rose had let the family home fall into a vile state, with buckets and pots used as toilets, human excrement on the floor and rubbish left in the bath.
There was also a mattress and possibly a door on the stairs and the smoke alarm had no batteries.
On December 16, 2021, CCTV showed the mum attempting to shop with the children in her local Sainsbury's.
She could be seen trying to get two of the youngsters to stay in the trolley as the other two ran around the aisles.
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The footage then showed Rose unable to pay for her shopping before the family left the store.
An hour before the horror, the mum was heard "screaming, shouting and swearing" at the children.
She yelled "why would you f***ing do that?" before heading back to Sainsbury's alone.
Neighbours realised the house was on fire at around 7pm and could hear the tragic children inside but were unable to gain access.
Prosecutor Kate Lumsdon KC said: "A neighbour kicked in the door but the fire had taken hold to the extent that it was impossible to enter.
"The fire brigade were called. Many units attended. Using appropriate protective clothing and breathing apparatus firemen put out the fire and entered the house.
"They found the four boys under a bed in the upstairs front room. They were limp and unconscious.
"Firemen noted that there was rubbish all over the floor of the house and human excrement. There was a mattress and a door on the stairs."
The court heard Rose arrived home to find her terraced home alight.
She at first claimed she had left the children with a woman named Jade - causing firefighters to go back inside to search for her.
But there was no sign of her, with police also finding "no trace" of Jade.
Emergency crews attempted to save the four children but tragically they were declared dead shortly after.
Logan was the first to be declared dead at 8.39pm, followed by Leyton at 8.40pm, Kyson at 9.12pm and Bryson at 9.36pm.
A cause of death was given as inhalation of fire fumes.
Rose was arrested following the horror and told police: "My kids just died and I'm being f***ing arrested".
The court was told social services were engaged with the children between July and September 2021.
It came after a GP noted there was a "chaotic home environment".
Officials found the garden was full of rubbish and there was a "very strong unpleasant smell".
Dad of four tragic boys speaks out
The father of the four young boys said his world "had been turned upside down".
Dalton Hoath, who was not living with the boys at the time of the fire, described them as "young, boisterous lads" who were "well mannered", "well behaved" and loved.
He said he had received a call from Rose on the evening of December 16 2021 and she was "hysterical" as she told him there had been a fire and the children were inside the building.
He then rushed to the "smouldering" terraced house on Collingwood Road, Sutton, with the boys' grandfather where he was told that his sons had been taken to two hospitals.
Mr Hoath said: "After being taken to the hospital it became clear that all four of my children had not made it and that my world had been turned upside down."
One added: "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."
But the case was closed when Rose failed to engage in further meetings.
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The court was also told the boys had also not attended school for three months before the tragedy but teachers did not find this strange as it was during Covid.
Rose was remanded into custody to be sentenced on November 15.
