Tragic mum who died with her three children in horror house fire 'was pregnant'
Neighbours have expressed how devastated they are following a fatal fire in Brent, London - a mum and three young children died in the blaze that occurred on Saturday morning
A mum who died alongside three of her children in a house fire was pregnant, according to a neighbour. The mother, 43, died when a property in Brent, northwest London, went up in flames in the early hours of Saturday.
A 15-year-old girl and two boys aged eight and four were also found to have passed away. Firefighters said the mother and one of her children were rescued from the second floor but declared dead by air ambulance crews. A woman in her 70s and a teenage girl who were both members of the family were taken to hospital by the London Ambulance Service (LAS).
Speaking to the MailOnline, a neighbour said the family is 'nice' and that the mother was pregnant. Neighbours said the family is of Pakistani origin and had lived on Tillett Close, in the Brent area, for a long time.
Floral tributes were left at the scene, with neighbours expressing their sadness and concern. Bunches of flowers and a blue teddy bear were left near the homes and crews wearing helmets and respiratory equipment were seen building scaffolding against the burnt out buildings.
Neighbour Cecilia Marquis, 60, said she was 'stunned by the devastation' of the blaze. Ms Marquis, who is a caterer at Brentford FC and witnessed the fire in her street, said: 'This will leave a devastating impact.'
'I just feel numb,' she said. "My clothes were smelling of the fire – I had to have a shower when I got in.'
Mohamed Labidi, a 38-year-old teacher who lives on Tillett Close, said he 'can't even look at the house' which was gutted in a fire. 'We used to socialise together,' he said of the family in the house. 'I can't even look at the house right now.'
Police confirmed a 41-year-old man was arrested in the early hours outside the houses and he was in custody on Sunday afternoon. On Sunday morning, the road outside the terraced houses remained cordoned off, with two fire engines still at the scene.
In a statement on Saturday, Superintendent Steve Allen, from the Metropolitan Police's local policing team in north-west London, said detectives are leading the ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire.
'Despite the efforts of the emergency services, I can confirm a woman and three of her children died at the scene,' he said.
'A further two members of the same family were taken to hospital and continue to receive treatment. The wider family have been informed, and officers will continue to support them at this incredibly difficult time.
He added: 'I recognise the significant impact this incident has had on the community.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Nicola Peltz escalates legal fight against NYC dog groomers over pet deaths
Brooklyn Beckham's wife Nicola Peltz is reportedly pursuing legal action against a New York-based grooming company, alleging that its employee Jony Ceballos caused the deaths of two of her dogs Actress and heiress Nicola Peltz is accusing a New York pet grooming company of negligence in the deaths of two of her beloved dogs. She alleges that the same groomer who handled her chihuahua Nala - who died shortly after an appointment - is also responsible for the 2021 death of her French bulldog Frankie. Peltz, 30, claims her dogs were healthy before their grooming sessions with HoundSpa LLC and groomer Jony Ceballos. In a lawsuit, she describes Ceballos' actions as 'intentional and malicious abuse of dogs,' saying Nala was 'a healthy, happy dog' who returned home 'in severe physical distress.' Vet records showed Nala had fluid in her lungs and neurological issues. 'She was in serious physical distress with her lungs full of water, chest pulsating and hyperventilating,' Nicola stated. The pup died hours later, leaving Nicola emotionally devastated. Her lawsuit, filed last year, also claims her other dog, Angel, now screams and shakes when left alone after being groomed by the same company. The allegations don't stop there as Peltz claims it wasn't until Nala's death that she realized Frankie had also shown symptoms of trauma after a grooming by Ceballos. 'Upon returning from his grooming with Ceballos, Frankie was in visible physical distress, repeatedly stumbling as if he had been sedated.' Neurologists later discovered fluid in his brain, and part of it began to collapse, eventually requiring the removal of an eye before he passed away months later. 'Nicola cried and cared for her dog - not at that time suspecting that an individual charged with caring for her dog would have hurt him.' Nicola also accuses the groomer of mishandling her brother's dog, Banksy, by letting medicated shampoo get into the dog's eyes despite repeated warnings. 'He showed clear frustration' and 'rushed the conversation,' she said. Afterwards, Banksy's eyes were 'red and irritated, and had puss coming out of them." Despite complaints, no action was taken by HoundSpa's owner, Deborah Gittleman. Now, according to Mail Online, Nicola has hired celebrity attorney Marty Singer - dubbed 'Mad Dog' in Hollywood - to take the case to court. he New York Supreme Court has ordered both sides to turn over key documents, including Nala's necropsy and the company's insurance policies. Nicola must appear for a deposition before October 30. Online reviews echo similar concerns. 'Do not put your dogs in a dangerous situation and use them,' wrote one dog-owner, who said her dog came home with razor cuts. Another reviewer described how her dogs would 'shake when they would see Johnny [sic],' adding that he gave off a 'bad vibe.' She also noted that HoundSpa once operated out of the parking lot of Northwind Kennels, whose owner was arrested for multiple counts of animal cruelty. Peltz's lawsuit cites yet another disturbing customer account: 'Jonny… mishandled the puppy (in front of several witnesses) in such a horrific manner the pup peed as he grabbed them!' The customer wrote that 'all [the puppy's] desensitization training has been replaced by trauma,' adding that 'the poor pup has been left traumatized just seeing the van.' 'Gittleman should never have allowed Ceballos to continue to groom pets after receiving multiple customer complaints concerning his mistreatment and abuse of animals,' Peltz stated in the suit. The Mirror has approached Nicola's representatives and a spokesperson for HoundSpa LLC and groomer Jony Ceballos for comment on this story.
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
Brit 'drug mule' could face 25 years in Sri Lanka jail over 46kg suitcase haul
Charlotte May Lee has appeared in court after £1.2 million of the synthetic cannabis Kush was allegedly found in her suitcase when she landed in the country. A former TUI air stewardess accused of smuggling £1.2 million of synthetic cannabis into Sri Lanka has appeared in court. Charlotte May Lee, from south London, was arrested last week after 46kg of the super-strength substance was allegedly found in her suitcase. The 21-year-old Brit faces up to 25 years in a maximum-security prison if convicted, but claims she was set up. Ms Lee was tearful as she was escorted into a packed courtroom by several police officers, and was briefly held in a cell before being moved to the witness box. The nearly 50kg of cannabis was dramatically wheeled into the courtroom as evidence. Ms Lee is due to appear in court again in two weeks, reports the Mirror. She claims she was duped by a British man of Pakistani origin, known only as "Dan", who bought her plane ticket and a packed suitcase. He allegedly gave her money for excess baggage fees and told her one of the bags contained clothing. "Dan" reportedly told Ms Lee that Sri Lanka was a "lovely place for a holiday" and they would have a "wonderful time" together, but said he had to stay behind in Bangkok to visit a friend before joining her. Speaking from behind bars to MailOnline, the British woman insisted she had "no idea" there were drugs inside her suitcase, alleging they must have been "planted". She explained: "I had never seen them before. I didn't expect it all when they pulled me over at the airport. I thought it was going to be filled with all my stuff. "I had been in Bangkok the night before and had already packed my clothes because my flight was really early. So I left my bags in the hotel room and headed out for the night. "As they were already packed I didn't check them again in the morning. They must have planted it then." Further claims suggest she stated she had never been to Sri Lanka prior, although police believe she visited in January. Sri Lankan police recently suggested she was "in a lot of trouble". As the probe goes on, a police insider revealed to journalists: "This woman is in a lot of trouble and will not help herself by failing to tell the truth. "The investigation is only just beginning and we will be looking closely at her previous visit, who she was with and where she went." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Mail
13 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Shocking footage shows Saudi police beat women and girls inside secret prisons where families send 'disobedient' females to be locked away and punished for YEARS to break their spirit
Shocking footage obtained by MailOnline shows Saudi police beating women detained inside secretive facilities where families send 'disobedient' women and girls to be punished. Women seen in the clip were said to be staging a peaceful sit-in protest over poor living conditions at their so-called 'care home' in Khamis Mushair, in Asir Province. Security and police officers at the Social Education Home for Girls are seen rushing in and hitting the woman; some as they lay helpless on the ground. Women were seen being dragged by their hair, beaten with belts and sticks, and subjected to other forms of physical abuse. The video, which caused outrage among rights activists in Saudi Arabia when it first circulated in 2022, re-emerged as former detainees bravely spoke out about their experiences held in 'Dar al-Reaya' facilities across the country. Dr Maryam Aldossari, a Saudi academic at Royal Holloway, University of London, told MailOnline that despite recent reforms, many women remain held in these de facto prisons, unable to leave until a male guardian permits them. She cited examples of women enduring horrifying conditions inside the facilities, some reportedly even moved to take their own lives due to alleged abuse. 'It still exists,' she warned. 'We still know people who are there and God knows when they will leave. 'They completely cut them [off]. There are cameras everywhere. If you misbehave you must go to these small individual rooms, you are separated. 'Anything can be considered as a violation of women's rights.' Dr Aldossari, who left Saudi Arabia in 2008 to study and work in the UK, today works with Al Qst (ALQST), a human rights organisation that documents and promotes human rights in Saudi Arabia. 'What we do hear - it's such a dark time in Saudi Arabia. This is becoming a police state,' she said. 'People are scared.' After the harrowing video first emerged, the local authority said it was ordering an investigation into the incident. It did not condemn the security officers for the 'blatant and brutal assault on the women', Al Qst noted, assessing that any investigation would 'lack all credibility'. They described violence at the hands of the authorities as a 'hallmark' of the Saudi prison system. 'In this respect, care homes for young women and girls (even if not officially for female criminals) and juvenile detention centres are no different from prisons, where violence mostly takes the form of ill-treatment, physical assaults and sexual harassment.' A spokesperson for the Saudi government recently denied that the care homes were detention centres, claiming 'women are free to leave at any time' and can leave without permission from a guardian or family member. They also said that 'any allegation of abuse is taken seriously and subject to thorough investigation'. Dr Aldossari dismissed the claims. 'The regime lie and lie and lie and lie,' she said. She maintained that women as young as 13 could be sent to a facility for 'disobedience' and held until a male guardian allows them to leave. Despite recent reforms nominally strengthening women's rights, she said, there is no 'trial' to be sent to a facility that is not officially a prison, there is no process of appeal, and there is no consistent interpretation of the law. 'A woman might be legally allowed to apply for her own passport because of the reforms,' she explained, referring to the Saudi Personal Status Law (PSL), codified in 2022 and supplemented this year. 'But her male guardian can still prevent her from travelling by filing a case of disobedience - and they didn't even bother to define what disobedience means,' she said. 'So anyone and every male says "my wife or my daughter" is being disobedient and then all those rights will go.' 'It [has become] like a tool of the Saudi regime to control women,' she added. 'The reason could be anything. You could, for example, run away from your home because you are facing abuse, then you will be arrested by police. 'It could be the accusation of behaviour that doesn't align with norms. For example, being seen with a man who's not your husband. It could be because your family thought you're out of control or even being a feminist.' The care homes have existed since the 1960s, initially presented as a rehabilitative 'shelter' for women accused or convicted of certain crimes. They are said to hold women between the ages of 7 and 30. A Saudi government spokesperson told The Guardian: 'Women are free to leave at any time, whether to attend school, work, or other personal activities, and may exit permanently whenever they choose with no need of approval from a guardian or family member.' But campaigners contest the claims, citing women who have experienced the facilities first-hand. If a male guardian is not willing or available to release them, the authorities will move them to a similar 'guest' facility - from which they will also require the consent of a male guardian or relative to leave. Dr Aldossari explained that under the 'ridiculous' system in Saudi Arabia, this role is 'inherited'. If a woman's husband or father is unavailable, her son could end up responsible for his mother. In some horrifying cases, women have allegedly been sent to facilities after defying the men sexually abusing them at home. 'She ends up in the situation that the abuser has to release her,' she said. Women have shared harrowing testimonies of being sent to the facilities as punishment for not 'obeying' sexual abuse at home, and then flogged or locked away in isolation until they 'reconcile' with their abusers. Sarah Al-Yahia, campaigning to abolish the homes, told the Guardian that her father had threatened to send her to one of the homes as a child 'if I didn't obey his sexual abuse'. 'If you are sexually abused or get pregnant by your brother or father you are the one sent to Dar al-Re'aya to protect the family's reputation,' she explained. Women may have to make the impossible choice between enduring abuse at home and the gruelling conditions inside the camps, she explained. Some have reportedly been killed by abusive relatives soon after release. One woman told the Guardian that she was taken to Dar al-Re'aya after complaining about her father and brothers. She was then allegedly abused at the institution and accused of bringing shame upon her family for her social media posts about women's rights. She was held until her father agreed she could be released, despite his being her alleged abuser, the outlet reports. While testimonies from the facilities remain underreported, some women have bravely spoken out over the years. In a 2021 ALQST report, women described being made to stand for six hours at a time by way of punishment for disobedience. One former inmate told MBC in 2018 that she and others were made to eat their own vomit after throwing up bad food. 'They let men in to hit us. Sometimes the girls and kids face sexual harassment, but if they talk, no one listens.' In other cases, local media has documented reports of suicide at the centres, blamed on the conditions inside. In 2015, a woman was found to have hanged herself from the ceiling of her room at one of the shelters, writing in a note: 'I decided to die to escape hell.' An inmate at the Makkah facility had said earlier: 'Dying is more merciful than living in the shelter.'
