A man and a woman have been charged by police investigating a suspected arson attack in Waterford that killed four members of the same family. They will appear before a sitting of Clonmel District Court on Saturday.
Philip and Kim English and their sons Callum, 12, and Jayden, nine, died in a reported attack on their home on Tuesday. Two other children remain in critical condition in hospital.
Arrests and charges
A man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s were arrested on Thursday, and Gardaí said they have now been charged.
Gardaí launched a murder investigation after emergency services were called to the Birchwood area of Waterford City shortly after 5am on Tuesday. An incident room was established at Waterford Garda Station, and a senior investigating officer was appointed. Family liaison officers were also assigned following the deaths.
Investigation and community response
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said on Friday that officers carried out several searches and seized a number of items in the investigation.
Father Gerard Chestnutt, parish priest at Sacred Heart Church at The Folly in Waterford, described it as a “day of immense sadness”.
“People are devastated, in particular here in the Birchwood estate, because the family are well known,” he told reporters at the scene of the fire. “The community is well established, it’s a very tight knit community. As you can see, there’s many people out on the street here, and they’re all absolutely heartbroken. But it goes beyond here as well. The wider community is absolutely devastated. Our school communities, the primary schools are absolutely heartbroken, both the staff and students. And I would know the family very well. It’s a day of immense sadness for this entire community.”
He added: “There’s no words even that people can find to try to grasp or try to understand what’s happened.”
Funeral and appeal for information
The victims' funeral mass will be held in the Sacred Heart Church, the Folly, Waterford on Monday, followed by burial in Kilbarry Cemetery, Waterford.
Gardaí appealed for information from anyone who was in the vicinity of Birch Avenue between 4.30am and 5.30am that morning. Motorists travelling in Birchwood or on adjoining roads were also asked to provide any dashcam footage or other images from that period.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Waterford Garda Station on 051 305300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
