Mum's nine words after her four kids died in horror house fire while she was at Sainsbury's

Deveca Rose, 29, stands accused of leaving her two sets of twins to die as a blaze ripped through their south London home - after she left alone to go to Sainsbury's

A mum accused of leaving her four children to die in a house fire while she went to Sainsbury's told police "My kids just died and I'm being f***ing arrested", a court heard.

Deveca Rose, 29, stands accused of leaving her two sets of twins, Kyson and Bryson Hoath, aged four, and Leyton and Logan Hoath, aged three, to die as the blaze ripped through their south London home on December 16, 2021. Rose was heard shouting and swearing by a neighbour before leaving the children alone to go to Sainsbury's.

Jurors were told that the family home, in Collingwood Road, Sutton, was full of rubbish which helped the fire spread. Rose denies four counts of manslaughter and one of child cruelty, claiming she had left the children with a woman called Jade.

The court was read a transcript of Rose's arrest at the hospital after her sons had died. A police officer told Rose: "Are you aware there was a fire today at your home address and four children were left in that address? And unfortunately they've all passed away, they're all deceased."

Rose replied: "Mmhm every single one of my kids are dead." When told she was being arrested for child neglect Rose said: "Neglect? I wasn't on my own, but okay." When told she would have to be handcuffed to preserve forensic evidence on her hands, she replied: "My kids just died and I'm being f***ing arrested".

A psychiatrist who diagnosed Rose with "recurrent depressive disorder" said there is "clear evidence of deterioration in mental state in the weeks leading up to the incident", prosecutor Ms Lumsdon told the jury. Rose, who worked as a carer for the elderly was signed off as not fit for work in April 2021.

CCTV footage of Rose being unable to pay for her shopping at Sainsbury's on the day of the fire was played to jurors. Rose was captured repeatedly tying to get two of her children to stay in the trolley, while the other two were seen running around. The mum wasn't able to buy all her goods on that trip, but later returned without the children when the fire started.

After the close of the prosecution case on Tuesday, October 1, defence barrister Laurie-Anne Power, KC, told the jury that Rose would not be giving evidence. Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, the Recorder of London, said they would now proceed to legal directions and closing speeches.

Rose denies four counts of manslaughter and one of cruelty to a person under 16. The trial continues.