Mum posted online video before fatal Huddersfield house fire

A mum who died alongside her eight-year-old daughter after a house fire posted a harrowing video detailing her mental health struggles online hours before the incident, an inquest has heard.

Danielle Parkinson, 31, and daughter Iliza died in hospital after the blaze at their home in Leeds Road, Huddersfield, in the early hours of 31 July 2024.

The inquest was told Parkinson’s older daughter, who was also injured in the blaze, survived.

The hearing at Bradford Coroner’s Court was shown a 19-minute video which Parkinson had posted, in which she said: “Every day I’m suffering more and more.”

In the video, Parkinson described how she had been living with bipolar disorder and depression and had been documenting her mental health through online posts but did not want to live.

The inquest was told on the day before her death, Parkinson had gone to get two tattoos on her face which said ‘lost soul’.

CCTV had captured her returning home later that day with both children.

The hearing was told the fire was spotted by a passerby at around 02:00 and emergency services attended.

Giving evidence, Jamie Lister, fire investigator for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the blaze had begun in the hallway and Parkinson and her two children were found upstairs in the main bedroom.

Iliza, who had suffered 90% burns to her body, was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and then transferred to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where she later died.

Assistant Coroner Caroline Chandler said a post-mortem examination had shown as well as burns, Iliza had also sustained a “superficial stab wound” on her chest.

She said some of the wounds on her arm were “associated with multiple superficial incisions, suggesting repeated cuts with a knife”.

The coroner said one stab wound was “consistent with defensive wounds” and added: “In my opinion, these sharp force injuries were caused in an assault, but none of the injuries had played a direct role in the death.”

• If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this report, you can find more help and support via BBC Action Line.

The inquest was told how medical records had shown Parkinson had a long history of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts which had begun as a teenager.

She had contacted her GP surgery and said she was feeling suicidal weeks before her death.

She was subsequently referred to the South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust where she received support from a team specialising in mental health crisis.

Giving evidence, Louise Doyle, a manager of the trust’s home-based treatment team, said because Parkinson was engaging with the service and staff it was not felt she needed hospital admission.

She agreed to a residential stay at a rest stop service, after which she told staff her mood had improved and suicidal thoughts had reduced.

Doyle told the inquest it was agreed she could be discharged on 15 July with follow-up from primary care providers.

Asked whether a review of Parkinson’s records had shown any concerns about her children, Doyle said, “no”.

She added: “Every staff member reported that she was loving, she was planning things for them, she appeared, from what she was telling us, that she loved them very much.”

The inquest continues.