Arrest warrant for mother charged over house fire that killed two children

1 month ago 14

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a mother accused of leaving her children to die in a house fire after she failed to show up to court on Thursday morning.

Shania Lee has also been accused of breaching her bail conditions multiple times, the court heard, and her bail has now been revoked.

Shania Lee, 26, faced the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old was charged with negligent manslaughter last year after a fire broke out at her home in Sydenham, in Melbourne’s north-west, on the night of September 8, 2024. Her two daughters, aged five and one, died in the fire.

Lee told police she had gone to pick up a car part with her boyfriend. There were no adults at home with the children when the blaze erupted.

The mother was given bail last year under strict provisions, including that she report to the Echuca police station three days a week, live at her mother’s address in the border town of Moama and notify police within 24 hours of any proposed change of address.

She was due to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a hearing on Thursday but did not attend, prompting magistrate Kieran Gilligan to issue a warrant for her arrest and revoke her bail.

“She is on bail and she’s not here?” Gilligan said at the start of the hearing.

No reason for Lee’s absence was given.

Gilligan said Lee was facing serious charges over the deaths of her two children and had failed to meet several of her bail conditions, including mandatory reporting to police.

The court heard that she was charged with several counts of breaching her bail conditions.

Colourful play equipment, including a tricycle, was scattered in the garden after the fire.

A lawyer for Lee said she spoke to her last week about her court appearance on Thursday and told the court the mother was aware she was facing new charges for breaching her bail conditions.

“All I can say in response to that is that Ms Lee made an offer to surrender herself to police last week,” the lawyer said. “We didn’t receive any response back.”

Gilligan immediately revoked Lee’s bail and issued a warrant for her arrest.

“Her bail is forfeited,” he said. “If she wanted to hand herself in, she could have handed herself into any police station.”

Flowers in front of the Sydenham house after the deadly fire.

The court previously heard Lee was the primary caregiver of three of her four children: five-year-old Izabel, three-year-old Kalais and 21-month-old Lyvia. Kalais survived the fire.

Police have previously alleged Lee left all three children alone at home on the night of the blaze while she travelled with her partner, co-accused Matthew McAuliffe, to the Sunshine and Keilor area to pick up a car part.

Police believe the fire had begun shortly before the adults left, but do not allege Lee deliberately lit the fire.

McAuliffe was the last person to leave the main bedroom, where the fire ignited. McAuliffe has since died.

Investigators alleged at a hearing in September that Lee watched footage from a home security camera on her phone while she was away from the house and heard the children screaming, but did not call Triple Zero.

CCTV footage allegedly captures Lee and McAuliffe leaving the Sydenham home at 9.17pm, about one minute before the smoke alarm was activated.

Lee, McAuliffe and the three children moved into the home just a week before the fatal fire.

The children were found unconscious at the front of the house and were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene before being taken to hospital.

Arson and explosives squad detectives investigating the deadly fire in 2024.

In September, the court heard Lee told police she had made arrangements via Snapchat for Kalais’ biological father, Jayde Petalas, to look after the children. However, Petalas told police Lee had not contacted him.

On the night of the deadly blaze, neighbours reported hearing a deafening blast, which they said sounded like a bomb going off.

They recalled standing outside the burning house and desperately yelling out to anyone who might be inside. As the fire trucks poured in, their calls were met with silence.

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