Police Arrest 2 Men for Murder After Middlesbrough Fire Kills Woman, 7-Year-Old Niece
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 26
Police Arrest 2 Men for Murder After Middlesbrough Fire Kills Woman, 7-Year-Old Niece
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 26
Summary
Two men, aged 23 and 31, were arrested on suspicion of murder after the early-hours Grangetown house fire that killed Natalie McDonald, 34, and her seven-year-old niece Valentina Foster.
Cleveland Police said four others were hurt in the blaze, including a 48-year-old woman in critical condition, and officers are still working to establish exactly what happened.
Family tributes described McDonald as a "beautiful soul" and Valentina, known as Tina, as a "cute little kid" who had been spending the summer holidays with relatives.
McDonald's mother said the 15-year-old daughter and a friend escaped through an upstairs window after the friend kicked it out, while police kept open the possibility of links to wider organised crime.