Erica Hay: Man is charged with murder after mother-of-four dies in house fire at Warnbro, Perth
A man has been charged with murder after allegedly attacking a woman and setting fire to their Perth home before fleeing.
Firefighters were called to the Warnbro home in Perth’s southern suburbs about 1am on Friday after reports of a house fire.
The body of Erica Hay, 30, was discovered in a bedroom at the rear of the house on Currie Street.
A 35-year-old man and a three-year-old girl escaped the home and were taken to Rockingham Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
Police allege the 35-year-old man attacked the mother-of-four at the home where they both lived sometime before 1am.
A man has been charged with murder after allegedly attacking a woman and setting fire to their Perth home before fleeing
He set the house on fire, fled the property with the woman’s three-year-old child and left the victim inside, police allege.
The man, who was reportedly known to Ms Hay, assisted police with their investigation before being charged with murder and criminal damage by fire.
Dave Gorton, acting chief inspector of police, said Ms Hay’s death was “very confronting” for first responders.
“There is no risk to the public, but the scene at the house was very confronting for the paramedics and police who attended the fire,” Mr Gorton said.
‘I think it was a very confrontational situation for the emergency workers and other emergency services.’
Authorities have yet to determine Ms Hay’s cause of death.
“We have been in contact with the forensic pathologists and we are still waiting for information on the cause of death,” Mr Gorton said.
Paramedics took the toddler to Rockingham Hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation and he is in stable condition.
The home sustained minimal damage in the fire.
The man was released from hospital and will appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Sunday.
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