Jayden English, the nine-year-old boy who died in a house fire in Waterford, had undergone heart surgery just two weeks before his death. He and his brother Callum, 12, were both born with heart defects, according to a 2020 social media post from Bumbleance, the national children's ambulance service.
Family tribute from Bumbleance
In a statement shared on social media on Wednesday afternoon, Bumbleance paid tribute to Jayden, Callum, and their parents Phillip and Kim, saying they had touched "the hearts of many during their time travelling with us".
"We will always cherish the memories we have and remember the times we shared on board. Our team are without words as we try to process this unimaginable loss," the tribute reads. "We extend our deepest condolences to their family during this devastating time and our thoughts and prayers to their siblings in critical condition."
Alleged motive and family history
John James English, Philip's adult son from his first marriage, told RTE that the suspected arson attack stemmed from someone else's €20,000 drug debt, reports RSVP Live. He said the English family's home had been terrorised for years, and that his mother's home (Philip's first wife, Ann English) had also been petrol-bombed in the past.
John James said he knows who the attacker was, and said the drug debt did not belong to anyone who lived in that house.
Fatal fire and surviving children
Philip and Kim English, along with their two young children - 12-year-old Callum and nine-year-old Jayden - lost their lives when their home was firebombed at 5am on Monday morning. Their remaining two children, a 14-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy, are both still fighting for their lives in hospital.
