A man accused of leaving three young children to perish in a devastating house fire will never face a jury, after the court was informed of his death.
A Tragic Night in Melbourne
Matthew McAuliffe, 24, and the children's mother, Shania Lee, 25, were charged with negligent manslaughter following the fatal blaze in the Melbourne suburb of Sydenham on September 8 last year. The couple had allegedly left the children—siblings Izabel, 5, Lyvia, 2, and their three-year-old brother Kalais—alone to go and collect a car door.
Tragically, the court heard that the pair allegedly ignored the children's screams while watching the house on a CCTV feed via a mobile phone application as they drove away. Neighbours raised the alarm, and firefighters rescued the unconscious children from the burning property.
The Aftermath and a Shocking Criminal History
All three children were rushed to Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital. Izabel and Lyvia tragically died in hospital, while Kalais survived after being placed in an induced coma. Another child was not home at the time of the fire.
McAuliffe's case was called in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court, where prosecutors requested all charges against him be withdrawn because he was dead. The magistrate, Belinda Wallington, was told his death is not being treated as suspicious.
During earlier bail hearings, the court was presented with McAuliffe's extensive and shocking criminal record. He had been charged 425 times since the age of 13, with 101 arrest warrants issued. This history spanned 31 pages. He had been released from jail just over two months before the fire and had moved in with Lee and her children a week prior.
Revealing Prison Calls and the Case Against Lee
In a recorded prison call from February 20, McAuliffe accused Lee of watching the cameras on the night of the fire and hearing screaming. Detective Senior Constable Christopher Mitchell told the court that Lee admitted to viewing the footage and informing her mother, but allegedly dismissed the concern.
The Crown prosecutor, Emily Sheales, stated that the pair were aware the smoke alarm was sounding and that there was screaming, yet they did not return to the house or call emergency services. Police suspect the fire was accidentally started by a discarded cigarette from McAuliffe, a smoker.
While McAuliffe was initially denied bail due to his history and a 'propensity for violence', he was later granted strict bail in October to live with family in Maryborough. Shania Lee was granted bail earlier to live with her mother. She will now face the charges of negligent manslaughter alone when she returns to court in January.
