A mum may have killed her two young daughters after all three died at their Bolton home, an inquest heard today.
Tiffany Stevens, 27, was found dead along with Darcey Stevens, 1, and Casey-Lea Taylor, 3, at their home in Arthur Street, Little Lever.
A pre-inquest review hearing at Bolton Coroners Court today was told: "Evidence suggests that Tiffany may have ended the lives of Darcey and Casey-Lea."
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Greater Manchester Police (GMP) treated Darcey and Casey-Lea's deaths on January 21, 2019, as murder but confirmed they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Tiffany's death was not treated as suspicious.
Assistant coroner Peter Sigee told the hearing that he may have to consider conclusions of 'unlawful killing' in regards to Darcey and Casey-Lea.
“I’m going to have to consider whether Tiffany had capacity at the time of Darcey and Casey Lea ingesting the substances that caused their death," he said.
“If she did have capacity and administer substances that caused the children’s deaths, I would have to consider whether the two children were unlawfully killed.”
Mr Sigee said that he may also have to consider a conclusion of 'suicide' for Tiffany.
Addressing the family, he said: “This is one of the saddest cases that I have had to consider and deal with in my time as coroner.”
A two-day inquest is set to begin on January 6 of next year.
Witnesses will include family members, Bolton Social Services, GMP, medical professionals, and the author of a serious case review into the incident.
Mr Sigee said: "My preliminary view that these deaths are so linked that it is sensible for all three inquests to be heard at the same time."
Following their deaths, Darcey and Casey-Lea's dads released tributes through GMP.
Paying tribute to Casey-Lea, Liam Taylor said: "Casey-Lea was a beautiful little girl who was deeply loved by many and will be sadly missed by a lot of people."
Darcey's dad Gary Eden said: "I will love and miss Darcey forever.
"She will always live on through me."
