Mother quizzed over fire deaths - News in brief - Evening Standard
       

Mother quizzed over fire deaths

A mother has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of the manslaughter and child neglect of her two sons who died in a house fire, police said.

Denise Goldsmith, 29, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon following the deaths of her sons, seven-year-old Lewis and five-year-old Taylor Jenkins.

The boys died from inhaling fire fumes after a blaze broke out at their home in Milfoil Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex, at around 3pm on October 4.

A Sussex Police spokesman said that Ms Goldsmith was freed on police bail overnight.

Sussex Police have not formally named Ms Goldsmith as the person arrested but sources confirmed her as being the suspect.

A force spokesman was not immediately able to confirm the date to which Ms Goldsmith has been bailed.

Police said they were not treating the fire as arson and their inquiries were continuing as floral tributes continued to be laid at the scene for the boys, who were both pupils at nearby Shinewater Primary School.

Ms Goldsmith, who is understood to be estranged from the boys' father, was among a stream of people who visited the scene the day after the tragedy to lay flowers.

She had to be restrained by her family from entering the burnt-out property, which was cordoned off while forensic investigations were carried out.

A team of detectives have been investigating the circumstances that led to the deaths, along with fire investigators from East Sussex Fire and Rescue service (ESFR).

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