Stafford fire: Manslaughter arrests after young siblings killed in blaze
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence after four children were killed in a house fire in Stafford.
A man and a woman, aged 28 and 24 respectively, were arrested in Stoke on Friday afternoon after an update from investigators into the likely cause of the fire, Staffordshire Police said.
Riley Holt, eight, Keegan Unitt, six, Tilly Unitt, four, and Olly Unitt, three, were all killed in the blaze in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The children's mother Natalie Unitt, 24, her partner Chris Moulton, 28, and two-year-old Jack all survived after escaping through a first-floor window.
The three survivors were taken to hospital but have all now been discharged, police confirmed on Friday.
It has not yet been revealed what started the fire in Sycamore Lane, Highfields, and police today urged people not to speculate on the circumstances.
The suspects, who have not been identified, were detained on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence and remained in custody on Friday evening.
Statement
A Staffordshire Police spokeswoman said: "Officers from Staffordshire Police have made two arrests this afternoon following a house fire in Stafford on Tuesday.
"Following an update from investigators into the probable cause of the fire we have arrested a 24-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence.
"The arrests were made at around 1.30pm. The man and woman are in custody.
"This incident has had a huge impact on the community and we understand there will be confusion and a demand for information.
"However, we would urge people not to speculate as to what may have happened and appeal for patience as the investigation continues.
"We will provide further updates as soon as we are able to."
Vigil
The arrests came after hundreds of people paid tribute to the children by marching to the police cordon near the house with flowers and candles last night.
More than £28,000 has been raised for the victims' family in the three days since the fire, while hundreds of people have offered to donate clothing, furniture and other items via a dedicated Facebook page.
Meanwhile tributes of teddy bears, flowers and cards have continued to pile up near the scene.
Family members, emergency workers and classmates of the children were among those to leave tributes, with a school bag full of stuffed toys left by students from nearby Castlechurch Primary School, where Riley, Tilly and Olly studied.
A message from the schoolchildren said: "Riley, I hope this day didn't happen but it did.
"Love Archie and your class."
'Happy and loving'
The bodies of the four children were found inside the two-storey end-terrace house after a 999 call was made at around 2.40am.
Ms Unitt and Mr Moulton were taken to hospital with baby Jack, where they were treated for burns and smoke inhalation.
In the aftermath of the fire, the children's former headteachers paid tribute to the four victims.
Nicola Glover, headteacher at Castlechurch Primary School, said the entire school community had been left devastated.
She described Riley as "very bright and articulate," Tilly as "friendly and caring" and Olly as "a happy, loving boy who loved cuddles."
While Kim Ellis, headteacher at Marshlands Special School where six-year-old Keegan was a pupil, said: “Keegan was lively, full of fun and mischief with a really endearing smile.
"He loved school and everyone who worked with him loved him. We were all proud of him and the progress that he had made. It is very hard to accept what has happened."
What is gross negligence manslaughter?
The Crown Prosecution Service defines gross negligence manslaughter as:
"Where the death is a result of a grossly negligent (though otherwise lawful) act or omission on the part of the defendant. The law in respect of this has been clarified in the case of R v Adomako (1994) 3 All ER 79 where a four stage test for gross negligence manslaughter known as the Adomako Test was outlined by the House of Lords:
The test involves the following stages:
a) the existence of a duty of care to the deceased;
b) a breach of that duty of care which;
c) causes (or significantly contributes) to the death of the victim; and
d) the breach should be characterised as gross negligence, and therefore a crime.
There is no manslaughter by "Lawrence Recklessness", overruling R v Seymour (1983) 2 AC 493."
