Mother left in coma after Salford fire learns of her children's deaths

A severely injured mother who lost four of her children in a suspected arson attack in December has only recently recovered enough to be told of their deaths, police have said.

Michelle Pearson, 36, remains in intensive care and has been in an induced coma after the targeted attack on their family home in Walkden, Salford, at 5am on 11 December.

DCI Lewis Hughes of Greater Manchester police said on Wednesday that Pearson’s injuries were so severe she had only in the last fortnight been able to understand that four of her children had died.

Three people are due to stand trial next week for the murders of Demi Pearson, 15, her brother Brandon, eight, and sisters Lacie, seven, and Lia, three.

The children’s funerals are expected to take place in the summer if their mother’s condition improves.

Hughes said Pearson had made a significant improvement in the last couple of weeks and now understood the tragic outcome of the fire.

She suffered severe burns in the firebomb attack, which her 16-year-old son and his friend of the same age managed to escape by climbing out of an upper-floor window and scaling down scaffolding.

Detectives have said there were previous incidents at the victims’ home. It is understood police were called to the property at about 1am, four hours before the fire.

The force referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is due to commence its investigation after the conclusion of the trial.

Zak Bolland, 23, and his girlfriend Courtney Brierley, 20, and David Worrall, 25, have been charged jointly with four counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and one of arson with intent to endanger life. Their trial is due to begin next week at Manchester crown court.