Merseyside Police have named the mother and three children who died following a devastating house fire in Bootle earlier this week. Elisha Brabin, 36, and her children Leo, 16, Ellis, 8, and Prudence, 7, were killed when the blaze took hold of their home in Stone Square.
Emergency services were alerted to the fire at the semi-detached property at 3:38 am on Tuesday, 22 September 2026. Despite crews from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service arriving at the scene within seven minutes, the fire had already spread rapidly through the building. The four victims were discovered in an upstairs bedroom but showed no signs of life when they were reached by firefighters.
The children’s father, 34-year-old Kane Stephenson, remains in hospital being treated for serious burns. He is understood to have sustained the injuries while making a desperate attempt to rescue his partner and children from the flames.
Family tributes and community response
In a statement released through Merseyside Police on Wednesday, the Brabin family described Elisha as a “devoted and loving mother” and said the three children were “loved beyond measure”.
A community fundraising effort, established shortly after the news broke, has already raised more than £5,000 to support the surviving family members and cover funeral costs.
Investigation into the cause
A joint investigation between Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is currently underway to determine how the fire started. At this stage, the official cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and police have not released further details regarding the circumstances leading up to the 999 call.
Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is encouraged to contact the emergency services or local authorities in Merseyside.
