Woman charged in Melbourne fire not known to new parents, baby who died

A woman accused of murder after a fatal fire in Melbourne is believed to be a partner of a man living with the young family, and her alleged victims were not aware of her.

Abbey Forrest, 19, her partner Inderpal Singh, 28, also known as Indi, and their 3-week-old daughter, Ivy, were found dead in their Pt Cook home after it was engulfed in flames early Wednesday morning.

Detectives with the Fire and Explosives Squad have charged Jenny Hayes, 46, with three counts of murder and arson that caused death.

After a brief hearing at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday night, Hayes was placed in pre-trial detention to face the court again in March next year.

NCA NewsWire has been told that Hayes was known to a man who was staying with the young family in the downstairs area of ​​their Totem Way home.

Authorities have not confirmed whether they found the man staying at the property, but said they were not looking for anyone else.

It is not suggested that the man who stayed in the home had anything to do with the alleged crime.

Hayes’ attorney, Erin Byrt, also told the court Thursday night that she had not been disclosed of her client’s relationship with the young family.

Detective Sgt. Mark Kennedy previously said investigators had discovered a mattress that appeared to have been recently asleep while searching the ground-floor section of the burned-out home.

Forrest’s sister, Emily Forrest, paid an emotional tribute to her younger brother Thursday, saying he had the “biggest and boldest personality.”

She visited her sister’s house with her partner, Joel Martin, to lay flowers and a Peppa Pig toy in memory of the young family.

The family had only moved into the rental property three weeks prior to the tragedy, the same day that 19-day-old Ivy was born.

“She was an amazing mother; she took it like a duck overboard. I’m incredibly proud of her,” Emily said.

“She was absolutely in love. She was so excited to become a mother and she did it so well.”

Emily said that her sister’s partner, Indi, was a “very loving man” who adored Abbey and her daughter.

Heroic neighbors desperately tried to break an upstairs window with an ax to free the young family, but the ferocity of the fire forced them back, destroying the house in minutes.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been created to help the family cover funeral expenses.

– NCA NewsWire