Sutton: Mother pleads not guilty to killing sons in fire

A mother has pleaded not guilty to killing her four sons who died in a house fire in south London.

Deveca Rose, 29, appeared at the Old Bailey charged with the manslaughter of Leyton and Logan Hoath, aged three, and Kyson and Bryson Hoath, four.

The brothers, who were two sets of twins, died after the fire in Collingwood Road, Sutton, at about 19:00 GMT on 16 December 2021.

Ms Rose, of Wallington, south London, also denies four counts of cruelty to a child under the age of 16.

Firefighters removed the children from the “intense blaze” at the mid-terrace house and gave them immediate CPR.

The boys were taken to two south London hospitals, where they were pronounced dead.

The defendant, who is on bail, entered her pleas during a hearing before Judge Mark Lucraft KC.

The trial, previously scheduled for 2 September, was put back a week to 9 September. It is due to take up to three weeks.