A mother has been convicted of manslaughter after her four young sons died in a house fire while she was out shopping at Sainsbury’s, leaving the children alone at home. Deveca Rose, 29, had locked her two sets of twins inside their house on Collingwood Road, Sutton, when the fatal fire broke out on the evening of December 16, 2021.

An Old Bailey jury deliberated for over three hours before finding Rose guilty of four counts of manslaughter by a majority of 11 to one. She was, however, found not guilty of child cruelty. Judge Mark Lucraft KC described it as a “tragic case” and adjourned sentencing to November 15, granting Rose continued bail.

The family, including three-year-old twins Leyton and Logan Hoath and four-year-old twins Kyson and Bryson Hoath, had been living in squalor, surrounded by rubbish and human excrement, before the tragedy. Prosecutor Kate Lumsdon KC told the court that the house was uninhabitable, with rubbish piled throughout and buckets being used in place of a functioning toilet.

On the night of the fire, Rose had gone to a supermarket, leaving the boys alone. A cigarette or tea light in the living room is believed to have sparked the blaze. The boys, trapped inside the house, ran upstairs calling for help.

A neighbour tried unsuccessfully to break down the front door before firefighters arrived and entered the house wearing breathing apparatus. The children were found hiding under their beds but, despite being rushed to hospital, died from inhalation of fire fumes.

Rose returned home while firefighters were still at the scene and was taken in by a neighbour. During the investigation, she claimed that a friend named Jade had been watching the children, prompting firefighters to re-enter the house in search of the person. However, police found no evidence that Jade existed, or that anyone else had been present at the time.

During police interviews, Rose admitted to previously leaving her children alone on two other occasions. The children’s father, Dalton Hoath, said in a statement that she had left the boys alone “once or twice” to visit a nearby shop before. Describing his devastation, Hoath said his world had been turned “upside down” by the loss of his “young, boisterous lads.

Paternal great-grandmother Sally Johnson testified that Rose often left the children alone, though Rose claimed she only went to the nearby shop. Paternal step-grandmother Kerrie Hoath also shared concerns, recalling instances when she was not allowed into the home, once even being directed to use a public restroom rather than the house toilet.

Social worker Georgia Singh testified that she had previously raised concerns about the family, but the case was closed three months before the fire. Despite multiple warning signs, including Rose’s declining physical and mental health, her reluctance to let authorities see the children, and the children’s absence from school for three weeks before the fire, intervention was not taken.

During cross-examination, defence barrister Laurie-Anne Power KC highlighted the social worker’s missed opportunities, pointing out that Rose showed clear signs of distress. However, the prosecution argued that Rose’s mental health struggles did not excuse her actions.

Rose attended most of the trial via video link due to medical advice and declined to testify in her defence. Although there was evidence suggesting that she was likely depressed and may have suffered from a personality disorder, the prosecution argued this was not a defence.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 15, with Rose remaining on bail until then.