Children dead before Bonner fire took hold, coroner says

But it was the fire that had killed the children's mother, Coroner Peter Morrison said, with a post-mortem revealing she had died from the inhalation of combustion and burns.

It has also been revealed that police have found no evidence a third party was responsible.

Mr Morrison said he had now ordered a brief of evidence be prepared.

It has been more than seven months since Anne Wachera Muhoro, 45, and her two children Ezvin Munene Mugera, 8, and Furaha Murathime Muhoro, 5, were found dead by firefighters at their Peter Coppin Street home on February 19.

Anne Muhoro, 45, died that day from the effects of fire, the inhalation of combustion and burns, a forensic pathologist concluded after a post-mortem.

Her two children died on the same day, but a post mortem was unable to ascertain the cause of their death.

The forensic pathologist who undertook the post-mortems said the evidence strongly suggested the two children had been dead by the time the fire took hold.

Police have also told the coroner they have found no evidence of any third parties' involvement in the deaths of the family.

A man was questioned by police the day after the tragedy, although he was later released without charge.

Police have said the fire was deliberately lit, with accelerants used across multiple "seats of fire" inside the house.

But for months after the fire, police would refuse to be drawn on whether the investigation was focused on a murder or a murder suicide.

Anne Muhoro had been due to discuss a custody matter with the children's father on the morning of the blaze.

Court documents recorded how Ms Muhoro had made "no appearance" in court. The bodies of her and her children had been found earlier that morning.

MrMorrison said he had ordered an inquest brief of evidence be prepared.

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