A woman accused of burning alive an entire family, including a three-week old baby, as they slept has denied murdering them.
Jenny Hayes is accused with a horrifying triple murder after a fire that claimed the lives of a young family in the early hours of December 2 last year in Melbourne, Australia.
The 46-year-old reportedly sobbed loudly throughout her brief court hearing, which was held via video link at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
She was said to have sporadically rocked backwards and forwards with her head held in her hands during the short court appearance.
She went on to plead not guilty to three charges of murder as well as three charges of causing death by arson, The Australian reports.
(Image: Social Media)
Hayes will face a further hearing on May 6 ahead of a trial which is yet to be fixed and which is expected to take place some time later this year.
Abbey Forrest, 19, her partner Inderpal Singh, 28, and their three-week-old daughter Ivy all died in the incident in Point Cook, Melbourne, in December last year.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Kennedy said during investigations officers found a mattress that appeared to have been slept on recently as they searched the townhouse.
(Image: 9News)
(Image: 9News)
He added the house was “fully engulfed” when the fire brigade arrived, saying: “The townhouse was raging, particularly at the front and upstairs … [and] with accidental fires that doesn’t normally occur.”
Other townhouses nearby were also damaged because of the fire, which was eventually brought under control in about an hour.
Mr Kennedy added that a neighbour tried to rescue the family, but unfortunately “the fire took its toll and nothing could be done.”
Police said at the time they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the fire.
Emily Forrest, Abbey’s sister, created a GoFundMe page to help with the cost of the funerals of the family-of-three which went on to raise nearly £20,000.