A young girl’s death in a house fire last year is now being investigated as a possible intentional act. Layla Allen, a 13-year-old from Prescot, England, died in a fire in April 2025.
Investigators say Layla didn’t try to escape the fire that started in her bed. It’s believed she was likely asleep when the fire began. Her parents and five siblings were able to get out of the house safely.
Fire investigators think a lighter was used to start the fire in Layla’s bedding. However, they still don’t know exactly how the fire started. One investigator noted that the fire seemed to have started on the top bunk of her bed and grew quickly because of an open window nearby.
Adding to the mystery, investigators revealed that someone else in the family had set fire to a different bed in the house just six months before Layla’s death, also using a lighter. After that first fire, fire officials offered safety advice to the family, but the offer was turned down. The incident was dismissed as a child playing with a lighter.
The coroner in the case said there are too many unanswered questions. She pointed out that police haven’t been able to interview Layla’s siblings because her parents wouldn’t allow it, which has made it difficult to gather more information. Because of the lack of clear evidence, the coroner recorded an open verdict, meaning the cause of death is undetermined.
The coroner urged the family to accept help from the fire services to keep their children safe, especially after two similar fires involving lighters had occurred in a short period.
