A man has been arrested and a murder investigation has been launched following the death of a 30-year-old mother in a house fire.
Mother-of-four Erica Hay was found dead in the bedroom of a home in Currie Street at Warnbro, in Perth’s southern suburbs about 1am on Friday following reports of a fire.
A 35-year-old man and a three-year-old girl were also treated for smoke inhalation.
WA Police Acting Detective Superintendent Dave Gorton said the death was being treated as a murder with a man, in his 30s, who is known to the woman currently in custody.
No charges have been laid.
Mother-of-four Erica Hay was killed in a house fire. Picture: Supplied
“Any death is a tragic event, but when people are murdered it has a lasting impact upon family friends and the broader community,” he said.
Mr Gorton said it was a “very confronting” scene for the first responders.
Her body was discovered in the back bedroom. Picture: 9NEWS
“The death is being treated as suspicious at this point in time,” he said.
Neighbor Michelle told Nine News she spoke to the man at the home who was treated for smoke inhalation.
“He was yelling out ‘fire’ and I can hear the smoke alarms going off so we came out, saw him holding the little girl, went over to talk to him and he was coughing,” she said.
“He said he wasn’t sure… if she was in there or anyone was in the house.”
Arson and homicide investigators are currently at the scene collecting evidence.
The death comes after a horror start to the year for gendered violence in Australia amid reports of a woman being killed every four days in 2024.
About 15 rallies are being held nationwide over the weekend, calling for more funding for domestic violence organizations.
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