On December 16, 2021, Deveca Rose left her four young children, two sets of twins aged three and four, at home alone while she went to Sainsbury's. Tragically, a fire broke out in their locked terraced house, leading to the death of all four boys.

The 30-year-old mother arrived home to find firefighters battling the blaze. After a trial at the Old Bailey, she was found guilty of four counts of manslaughter, with Judge Mark Lucraft KC sentencing her to 10 years in prison. The judge described the situation as a “tragic case,” emphasizing that the children were left in an “unsafe” environment.

During sentencing, Judge Lucraft highlighted the boys' inability to know how to respond when the fire broke out. He noted that none of the items Rose went to buy were essential, and the children endured “acute physical suffering” before their deaths.

Despite Rose's struggles with mental health, the judge deemed her responsible for her actions. It was revealed that the family had been living in squalid conditions, surrounded by rubbish and human excrement, prior to the incident.

The court heard from prosecutor Kate Lumsdon KC about the deteriorating conditions of the home, where buckets were used as toilets due to the unusable bathroom facilities. While Rose was shopping, a fire broke out, and the children were trapped, attempting to escape to safety.

Efforts to save the boys were in vain, as they succumbed to smoke inhalation shortly after being rescued and taken to hospitals. Investigations revealed that Rose had claimed to leave the children with a friend named Jade, prompting a further search by firefighters, who ultimately found no evidence of her claim.

Concerns regarding the family's well-being had previously been raised by social workers and health visitors, but these were not addressed before the tragedy. It was also reported that the children had not attended school for three weeks prior to the fire.

Speaking outside the court, the boys' family expressed that “justice” had been served. Step-grandmother Kerrie Hoath criticized Rose for her disregard for the children, stating that they had been “cruelly taken away from us.”

Dalton Hoath, the boys' father, shared his anguish, describing the loss of his sons as “the worst day of my life” and emphasized the deep pain he now carries.

Throughout the trial, Rose attended via video link and did not offer a defense. Evidence suggested she may have been struggling with depression and a personality disorder, but the prosecution maintained that her mental health issues did not absolve her from responsibility.

In Rose's defense, her barrister mentioned her complex psychiatric needs, though the court recognized the irreplaceable loss felt by the victims' family.