Hundreds of mourners gathered in Thornton on Thursday for the funeral of Elisha Brabin and her three children, Leo, Ellis and Prudence, who died following a house fire in Bootle. The family's grandparents, Bob and Zaz Stephenson, read a statement to those gathered at Thornton Garden of Rest, saying the four "will be missed every day."
Funeral cortege passes family home
The cortege set off from Bradford Road via Marsh Avenue, passing the family home on Stone Square where the blaze broke out. People lined the roads as the procession made its way into Thornton, where mourners gathered for the ceremony.
Four horse-drawn carriages arrived at the crematorium, and a cloak of silence remained outside. Mourners gathered in their dozens close to an hour before the coffins arrived, with the sun beaming down and tears shed quietly by those present.
Family statement read to mourners
In their statement, Bob and Zaz Stephenson said: "Today our families come together for the funeral of Elisha, Leo, Ellis and Prudence Brabin. After many difficult weeks, it means a great deal to be together to remember them and say the hardest goodbye."
They added: "We would like to thank everyone who has shown such kindness over the recent weeks. The messages of support and the knowledge that so many people have kept us in their thoughts have brought us all real comfort."
"We are also deeply grateful to the emergency services for their efforts, and to those individuals who have continued to support us throughout this time. We now have to begin rebuilding our lives. We'll do that slowly, looking after one another along the way."
Fire caused by lithium-ion battery
Elisha Brabin, along with Leo, 16, Ellis, eight, and Prudence, seven, were all at home on Stone Square when the fire broke out at around 3.45am on Tuesday, September 22. Emergency services rushed to the semi-detached house, where firefighters found the property "well alight."
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service confirmed four people were found dead in a bedroom upstairs. The fire was later found to have been caused by a lithium-ion battery from an electric scooter.
Representatives of the fire service, along with representatives from each of the three schools attended by Leo, Ellis and Prue, also paid their respects at the funeral.
Inquest opened into deaths
Last week, the inquest into their deaths opened at Bootle Town Hall. Senior coroner Anita Bhardwaj told the court how the deaths were "unnatural" before adjourning the inquest until April 22, 2027.
A family tribute shared following their deaths said: "Our whole family is devastated by the loss of Elisha, Leo, Ellis and Prudence. Elisha was our beloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunty, niece and cousin. She was a devoted and loving mother who lived for her children. They were her whole world, and she meant everything to us."
Friends and neighbours spoke of their shock at the family's tragic deaths. Candles were placed on the pavement on Stone Square, along with pink and blue star-shaped balloons. Soft toys, including Minecraft and Star Wars characters, were also laid at the scene.
