‘LOVELY’ KIDS DIE IN HORROR FIRE
‘Critically ill’ dad is suspected of arson
THESE are the angelic faces of the tragic children killed in a house fire allegedly started by their dad.
Six-year-old Leanor Endris and her eight-year-old brother Saros were pulled from the house on Friday.
Bystanders tried to give them first aid, but they were found ‘lifeless’ when emergency services arrived.
Their father Mohammed, 46, pictured right, was found in a burnt-out Vauxhall 40 miles away in Newcastle- Under- Lyme, Staffs, four hours after the blaze. He was in a critical condition in hospital last night.
Post-mortem examinations were carried out on the siblings yesterday.
Their care home worker mother, Penil Teklehaimamot, 36, did not suffer serious injuries and is now helping police as a witness.
West Midlands Police said they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths in Hamstead, Birmingham.
Neighbours spoke of their sadness, saying the devoted brother and sister had often been seen playing outside.
Ian Jameson, 54, said: “When I went to the shop the little lad was kicking the ball against the wall and he would stop to let me pass with my bags.
“He was such a lovely lad, it will be such a shock to not see them any more.
“Their deaths have shocked my kids as well as everyone else. My kids are saying ISOBEL DICKINSON Chief Reporter ‘we can’t go down there any more’. They’re there one day and not the next, how do you explain that to your kids? “My kids are four and six, so not a lot of difference at all. I can’t imagine losing them, it’s just awful. “Whenever the weather was nice, he was out there with his ball, just a lovely little lad. “I saw the dad now and again getting in and out of the car. “I think he said hello once or twice in the year they’ve lived here. “I never met the mother. I’ve been here for 20 years and everyone seems to know everyone, more or less, but they kept themselves very much to themselves. “Nothing like this has ever happened before. “Obviously people die of natural causes but nothing as tragic as this.” DCI Martin Slevin said: “Firefighters were first on the scene and extinguished a fire in the hallway of the house at around 3.40am. “Two children – an eight-year-old boy and six-year-old girl – were found unwell inside. “Unfortunately they were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. “At this stage the cause of death is unknown. “We are still trying to establish what exactly took place. “The mother of the children is helping police.”