Teenagers charged over fire death (From Enfield Independent)

Teenagers charged over fire death

1:10am Thursday 12th November 2009

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Three teenagers have been charged with manslaughter over the house fire death of a mother-of-nine after a firework was pushed through her letterbox.

Mary Fox, 59, was trapped in her bedroom in Bodmin after reportedly pushing her 17-year-old son Raum to safety through an upstairs window after the fire broke out last Thursday evening.

The remnants of a firework were found behind the front door of Mrs Fox's house in Wallace Road.

After leaping from the three-storey house, Raum ran to alert neighbours that his mother was still trapped inside.

Firefighters found Mrs Fox dead in the same room from which her son escaped.

Mrs Fox had eight other children aged between 20 and their mid-30s.

In an earlier statement, her family said: "Our mum devoted her life to us her nine children and went without herself to provide the best that she could for us.

"She was at times, shall we say, eccentric, she had a sense of humour and was loving and caring.

"She never did anything to hurt anyone and never would. She would give her last penny to help those in less fortunate circumstances than herself."

The 18-year-old man and two 17-year-old youths - all from Bodmin - are charged with manslaughter and they will appear at the town's magistrates' court on Thursday, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

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