A mother who died alongside her young daughter after a devastating house fire posted a profoundly distressing video just hours before the incident, describing herself as a 'broken lost soul' and confessing she could not 'see any other way out'. Danielle Parkinson and her eight-year-old daughter, Iliza, both lost their lives in hospital following the blaze, which erupted in the early hours of July 31, 2024, at their home in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
Inquest Hears Harrowing Details of Final Hours
During an inquest held at Bradford Coroners' Court on Wednesday, the court was presented with evidence detailing Parkinson's documented mental health struggles. The hearing revealed that she had been actively sharing her experiences of living with bipolar disorder and depression on her personal YouTube channel. The coroner's court was shown her final video, recorded the day before the tragic fire, which lasted for nineteen minutes.
In this poignant recording, Parkinson disclosed that she had been 'suffering more and more'. Addressing the camera directly and uttering the words 'I'm sorry', the mother-of-two displayed two new tattoos on her face, which she described as 'lost souls', having had them inked that very day.
'I Want to Die Who I Am'
She stated in the video: 'This is the final one and you know what that means. I've come to the conclusion that I just can't do it... I want to die who I am, a broken lost soul... I just feel like in my head I know what I have got to do... I just don't see any other way out of this because every day that I am here I'm suffering more and more and more, smoking until I can't possibly smoke any more and trying to numb myself to the point where I don't want to feel anything.'
Parkinson continued, offering an apology and a message to those who had supported her: 'If you see this I am gone and that's why. I'm sorry for the way that I did everything... It's a shame because the people that did work with me and helped me were incredible. This isn't about them. I don't want anyone to doubt anything about themselves because you guys didn't fail me.'
History of Mental Health Struggles and Previous Attempts
The inquest heard that Danielle Parkinson had a long-standing history of mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. She had previously attempted to take her own life and had spent time in respite care. In the video, she expressed a belief that her purpose was to 'help others', stating: 'There needs to be so much help with mental health. Even if I went into an institution I'd have to leave my kids. I'm not letting this world do what it did to me, no way... I'm not letting the disgusting things that happened to me happen to them.'
During the recording, the sound of a fire engine passing by her window was audible. She also addressed an unseen person through the camera, saying: 'You still are you. You are still you and the person you was and did and the things you did. Just because I'm not here doesn't mean things go away, you don't get a new slate... You will always be what you are. That's it... I will always be the lost soul.'
The Tragic Fire and Its Aftermath
Hours after this video was made, a fire is believed to have started in the hallway of her home on Leeds Road, Huddersfield. A passerby noticed flames at approximately 2am and immediately alerted the emergency services. The court heard that this individual was unable to gain entry to the property and reported hearing 'screams' emanating from an upstairs window.
When Iliza was discovered, she had sustained burns covering 90 percent of her body, alongside stab wounds and defensive injuries. She was initially taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary before being transferred to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where she subsequently died.
Post-Mortem Findings and Police Investigation
Assistant coroner Caroline Chandler summarised the post-mortem report, detailing that Iliza had suffered a '1cm by 0.5cm superficial stab wound' to the left side of her chest, as well as other incise wounds on various parts of her body. The inquest was informed that Parkinson had contacted her GP merely weeks before her death, expressing suicidal feelings. She had been referred to the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and was receiving support from a specialist mental health crisis team.
Detective Sergeant Cawthorne, from the homicide and major enquiry team at West Yorkshire Police, provided evidence to the court. She relayed that a letter from Danielle was found inside a laptop placed on a trampoline outside the home. DS Cawthorne also presented a summary of Iliza's school records, which indicated several behavioural concerns between September 2019 and July 2024.
The records noted multiple instances of Iliza being a victim of bullying, particularly after her hair had been shaved off. On December 15, 2023, she had asked school staff how she could kill herself, stating she 'didn't want to be here anymore'.
Conclusion of No Third-Party Involvement
Evidence from two of Danielle's friends, who had seen her on July 30, was also heard. One friend mentioned that Parkinson had identified her mother being in the house as a significant problem. The court was told that Danielle's mother and stepfather had moved out while she was away on that day.
DS Cawthorne delivered her conclusion to the court, stating: 'Reviewing all of the material we concluded that there was no third-party involvement and it was Danielle who was responsible for the fire which resulted in the death of her and her daughter.' The inquest proceedings are ongoing.
