A mum may have killed her two young daughters before taking her own life, an inquest hearing was told.
Tiffany Stevens, 27, was found dead at home with her daughters Darcey Stevens, one, and Casey-Lea Taylor, three.
A date is set for an inquest into the deaths, which occurred on January 21, 2019, at their address in Arthur Street, Little Lever.
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Greater Manchester Police (GMP) treated youngsters Darcey and Casey-Lea's deaths as murder and confirmed they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the case, reported Manchester Evening News.
Tiffany's death was not treated as suspicious.
At a pre-inquest review hearing, Bolton Coroners Court heard: "Evidence suggests that Tiffany may have ended the lives of Darcey and Casey-Lea".
Assistant coroner Peter Sigee told the hearing he may have to consider conclusions of 'unlawful killing' in regards to Darcey and Casey-Lea.
He said: “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.
“If she did have capacity and administered 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."
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