Woman given suspended sentence over fire that killed her mother and four children

Voskresensk City Court in Moscow Region gave a woman a suspended prison sentence of one year and six months over a fire that killed four young children and her mother. The probation period is also one year and six months, the court’s press service said.

The court found that the woman left the house in February and locked the front door from outside, leaving her mother and the children inside. She knew the window casements had no handles and there was no spare front-door key in the house, blocking the only exit.

She also left a water heater connected to the electricity supply. A fire broke out that evening. Firefighters found the bodies of the children and the woman, who died from inhaling combustion products.

The court convicted the defendant of negligently causing the deaths of two or more people.