Overview
- Coroner Anita Bhardwaj recorded an open conclusion on January 16, citing insufficient evidence to determine who started the April 2, 2025 fire.
- Fire investigators said burn patterns showed ignition on the top bunk and ruled out all sources except a naked flame, with two disposable lighters recovered in the home.
- A post-mortem found carbon monoxide in Layla Allen’s lungs and listed the cause of death as the effects of fire.
- Police reported no evidence of involvement by anyone outside the home, but they could not interview the other children due to welfare concerns, limiting evidence gathering.
- The address had a previous bedroom fire six months earlier believed to involve a lighter; fire-safety education offered afterward was declined, and the coroner urged the family to engage with support services.