Mother arrested after young brothers killed in house fire » Communities » 24dash.com

The mother of two young brothers who died in a house fire at a seaside town was arrested today on suspicion of manslaughter and child neglect, sources said.

Seven-year-old Lewis and five-year-old Taylor Jenkins were found by firefighters who tackled the blaze at their home in Milfoil Drive, Eastbourne, East Sussex, on Saturday afternoon.

Detectives from Sussex Police's major crime branch announced that, following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), a 29-year-old woman was arrested this afternoon.

Sources said the woman was the boys' mother, Denise Goldsmith, who was taken to the Eastbourne District General Hospital after the fire and treated for minor injuries before being released.

Sussex Police said the fire was not being treated as arson at this stage.

In a statement, the force said: "Following consultation with the CPS, Sussex Police's major crime branch has arrested a 29-year-old woman on suspicion of manslaughter and child neglect.

"The cause of the fire, which led to the deaths of Lewis and Taylor Jenkins, aged seven and five, is part of an ongoing investigation of this tragic incident, but at this stage it is not being treated as arson."

Ms Goldsmith, who is understood to be estranged from the boys' father, wept as she visited the scene the day after the tragedy to lay flowers.

She had to be restrained by her family from entering the burnt out house, 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).

Dozens of flowers and tributes have been left outside the house to the "lovely little boys" who were pupils at nearby Shinewater Primary School.

One read: "To Denise, thinking of you all. God bless your babies."

Neighbours said the boys' death had left the local community in shock.

Others spoke of how they tried in vain to rescue the boys after the fire broke at around 3pm on Saturday.

Jason Maynard, who was carrying out maintenance work on his mother's house nearby at the time, said he tried to save the children but could not get inside the house.

The boys' headteacher, John Greenwood, said in the aftermath of the deaths that there was a "sombre" mood at the school, where a special assembly was held.