Mother Died Holding Photo of Children After House Fire, Inquest Told

Michelle Pearson died at the age of 37, clutching a photograph of her four children, more than a year and a half after they perished in a house fire. The inquest at Bolton Coroner's Court heard that Ms. Pearson suffered 68% burns to her body in the December 2017 blaze at their home in Salford.

Her children, Demi Pearson, 15, Brandon, eight, Lacie, seven, and Lia, three, died in the devastating fire. Ms. Pearson passed away in August 2019, having "clung on to life" until her death. She was reportedly holding a crucifix and a photo of her children at the time of her passing.

An inquest is examining the circumstances leading up to the fire, which has been deemed an arson attack. Ms. Pearson and her children had been living in fear in the weeks prior to the incident, according to evidence presented. The mother had reported a series of escalating incidents at their property, including smashed windows, a bin fire, and graffiti. She had also sought alternative accommodation from her housing provider.

Evidence at the inquest indicated that Ms. Pearson felt "fobbed off" by the housing provider, as she was told she did not meet the criteria for emergency housing. A neighbor testified to witnessing one of the convicted attackers smashing windows at Ms. Pearson's home with a hammer weeks before the fatal incident.

Relatives of the family have stated their belief that the deaths were "wholly preventable" and have raised questions about potential missed opportunities by state agencies to ensure their safety. The senior coroner for Greater Manchester West, Timothy Brennand, emphasized that the inquest is not an exercise in blame but aims to determine if there was any predictable threat to life and what actions could have prevented the deaths.

In 2018, Zak Bolland and David Worrall were found guilty of five murders and received life sentences for their roles in the arson attack. Bolland's girlfriend, Courtney Brierley, was convicted of four counts of manslaughter and sentenced to 21 years in prison. The judge noted a series of tit-for-tat attacks preceding the firebombing, although the underlying cause of the dispute was not publicly disclosed.

Pen portraits of the victims were read during the inquest. Ms. Pearson was described as a devoted mother, and her family released a statement saying, "We know she's back with her children and out of pain." The children were remembered as having bright futures, with Demi being described as her mother's "best friend," Brandon as a "mummy's boy," Lacie as a "little diva," and Lia as a "little chatterbox."