Boys who died in fire often left alone, court hears

Kyson, Bryson, Leyton and Logan (L-R) died in a fire at their home in 2021

A mother left her four young sons home alone to go shopping "several times" before they were killed in a house fire while she was at Sainsbury's, their great-grandmother has said.

Deveca Rose, 29, left her two sets of twins locked in when a fire ripped through her house in Sutton, south-west London, on the evening of 16 December 2021, the Old Bailey heard.

She denies the manslaughter of Leyton and Logan Hoath, aged three, and Kyson and Bryson Hoath, aged four, as well as child cruelty.

In a statement read out in court, paternal great-grandmother Sally Johnson said there were several occasions when she phoned the house only to be told by Kyson their mother was at the "pop shop".

She said she was aware Ms Rose would leave the boys by themselves in the house, the court heard.

"When I asked her about this, she would say 'oh no, I just went to the pop shop' which is a local shop just seven houses away," the statement continued.

"I do not know how often this happened but I remember several times I phoned the house and Kyson answered the phone and told me 'mummy has gone to the pop shop'."

Deveca Rose denies four counts of manslaughter and child cruelty

Mrs Johnson's statement also said Ms Rose was a "good mum to the boys" and took care of them, ensuring they were always clean and tidy.

"They were always taken to the park whether rain or shine because she wanted them to get fresh air and she would always take them out on activities," jurors were told.

Mrs Johnson added she had a great relationship with the boys, saying: "They really were my world."

Her statement continued that the boys' father, Dalton Hoath, also had a good relationship with the boys and would see them regularly.

But she said she found their mother, who worked as a part-time carer, to be "aloof", "haphazard" and a bit "dysfunctional", the statement continued.

The court heard she thought Ms Rose was finding it difficult to raise the boys and offered to look after them.

"Often she would ask me to look after the boys for an hour or two and then she would not pick them up until much later in the evening," the statement added.

'Very much loved'

The last time she communicated with Ms Rose was earlier on the day of the fire when she texted asking for food suggestions for an early Christmas buffet for the boys, having organised a "Santa's grotto" in the garden, the court heard.

When she heard the house was on fire, she rushed to St George's Hospital where two of the boys were taken.

"When I arrived at St George's, Kyson had just passed away and medical staff were still working on Bryson," the statement said.

"Shortly after this, I could hear Deveca screaming, saying 'not my boys, not my boys'. I heard a scream and 'not my babies too'."

Paternal step-grandmother, Kerrie Hoath, described the boys as "polite, carefree and very much loved", the court heard.

Ms Rose allegedly told her she had gone to the shop and had been "less than 10 minutes" before she began crying "my babies, my babies".

The trial continues.