SHE DIED CLUTCHING A PHOTO OF HER FOUR CHILDREN — MUM’S FINAL MOMENTS REVEALED AT INQUEST

Michelle Pearson spent 20 months fighting to survive after a petrol-bomb attack killed her four children. As a new inquest examines what happened before the tragedy, her family has revealed the heartbreaking way she died.

For nearly two years, Michelle Pearson fought to stay alive.

She had survived an inferno that killed four of her children.

Her body had suffered burns across 68% of its surface, and she spent months in a coma as doctors fought to save her.

But on August 25, 2019, almost 20 months after the devastating attack, Michelle died in hospital.

She was just 37 years old.

And in her final moments, her family made sure she was holding something that connected her to the children she had lost.

A photograph of them.

HER FOUR CHILDREN WERE KILLED IN THE FIRE

The tragedy began in the early hours of December 11, 2017, at the family’s home on Jackson Street in Walkden, Greater Manchester.

Michelle lived there with her six children.

That night, the house was targeted in a petrol-bomb attack.

Her children Demi, 15, Brandon, 8, Lacie, 7, and Lia, 3, were killed in the resulting fire.

Their mother survived, but suffered catastrophic burns.

The family would never be the same again.

Greater Manchester Police later said the attack had been deliberately planned.

Zak Bolland and David Worrall were subsequently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders.

Bolland was also convicted of the attempted murder of Michelle, while his girlfriend Courtney Brierley was convicted of manslaughter.

MICHELLE CLUNG TO LIFE FOR 20 MONTHS

Michelle survived the initial fire, but the injuries she suffered were devastating.

She spent around five months in a coma and underwent extensive medical treatment.

Despite everything, her family said she continued to fight.

She even found ways to raise money for the burns unit at Wythenshawe Hospital while she was recovering.

But she was left carrying an unimaginable loss.

Her four children were gone.

And according to her family’s statement, Michelle eventually learned what had happened to them.

THE PHOTO SHE HELD IN HER FINAL MOMENTS

At the current inquest into the deaths, the Pearson family’s statement described Michelle’s final moments.

As she lay dying in hospital, relatives placed a photograph of her four children in her hand.

A crucifix was placed around the photograph.

Michelle died holding the image of Demi, Brandon, Lacie and Lia.

Her family said:

“We know she’s back with her children and out of pain.”

It was a heartbreaking final connection between a mother and the four children she had lost nearly two years earlier.

BUT THE QUESTIONS DID NOT END WITH HER DEATH

Michelle’s death has now become part of a much wider inquest examining what happened before the fatal fire.

Her relatives have raised concerns about whether opportunities were missed by police, housing authorities and other agencies that might have protected the family.

The inquest, being held at Bolton Coroner’s Court, is examining the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Michelle and her four children.

The family has argued that the tragedy may have been preventable.

SHE HAD WARNED POLICE THAT SHE WAS AFRAID

In the weeks before the fire, Michelle’s home had already been targeted.

Her windows were smashed.

Her bin was set on fire.

Graffiti appeared on the property.

And she told police that she did not feel safe.

Her mother, Sandra Lever, told the inquest that Michelle had been desperate to move away from the house.

She reportedly approached her housing provider because she believed her family was in danger.

But she was told she did not meet the criteria for emergency rehousing.

Her children were reportedly having nightmares.

Her eight-year-old son Brandon had even said that he did not want to live in the house anymore.

Michelle’s family say she felt she was being ignored.

THE MAN WHO THREATENED TO FIREBOMB THE HOUSE

One of the most significant developments at the inquest concerns Zak Bolland.

On November 26, 2017 — just over two weeks before the fatal attack — Bolland smashed the windows of Michelle’s home.

Police attended.

Michelle named Bolland as the person responsible.

Later that same day, according to evidence heard at the inquest, Bolland sent her messages demanding £500 and threatening to petrol bomb her home.

Police were called again.

But Bolland was not arrested at that point.

A police officer later told the inquest that, “in an ideal world,” Bolland should have been arrested.

However, officers were dealing with a high volume of incidents and were short-staffed, the hearing heard.

HE WAS ARRESTED — AND THEN RELEASED

Two days later, Bolland surrendered to police.

He gave a short “no comment” interview.

He was released and told that no further action would be taken over the smashed windows.

The inquest heard that his previous convictions and a suspended prison sentence were not checked at the time.

Bolland was reportedly already serving a suspended sentence and had previously been warned by a judge that he was on his “last chance.”

Four days after his release, Bolland allegedly returned to Michelle’s home and taunted her about having been cleared.

Michelle contacted police again.

But the inquest heard that the investigation into the threats was later closed on the police computer system.

Less than a week later, the fatal attack happened.

THE NIGHT EVERYTHING CHANGED

In the early hours of December 11, Bolland and Worrall returned to the Pearson family home.

The pair smashed windows and threw petrol bombs inside.

One of the devices exploded near the stairs.

The fire rapidly spread through the house, trapping the sleeping family upstairs.

Demi.

Brandon.

Lacie.

Lia.

Four children lost their lives.

Michelle survived with devastating burns.

The tragedy would eventually claim her life too.

WHAT WAS THE FEUD ABOUT?

The original criminal trial heard that the attacks were part of an escalating feud involving Bolland and one of Michelle’s sons.

But the senior coroner has noted that the precise origins of the dispute have never been made public.

That unresolved history is now part of the wider context being examined during the inquest.

The focus is not on determining whether Bolland and Worrall were responsible — they were already convicted.

Instead, the inquest is examining whether authorities had information that could have been acted upon before the fatal attack.

A FAMILY STILL ASKING “WHAT IF?”

Nearly nine years after the fire, Michelle’s family are still living with the consequences.

They have raised the question of “missed opportunities” — asking whether different decisions by police, housing authorities or other agencies might have changed what happened.

The inquest is expected to last several weeks and involves a number of organisations and individual police officers.

Seven current or former Greater Manchester Police officers have been identified as interested persons in the proceedings.

The hearing continues.

REMEMBERING THE CHILDREN

The family has also made clear that the four children must not become forgotten names in a long-running legal story.

Demi was remembered as a happy, smiling teenager who was especially close to her mother.

Brandon was described as having an infectious smile and being a “mummy’s boy.”

Lacie was remembered as a little “diva.”

And Lia, the youngest, was described as a chatterbox with a cheeky laugh.

Their family said all four children had bright futures ahead of them.

Those futures disappeared in one night.

And Michelle’s life ended less than two years later.

HER FINAL MOMENT WAS WITH HER CHILDREN

Michelle could not bring her children back.

She could not undo what happened that December night.

But when she died, her family made sure she was not alone.

She held their photograph.

A crucifix surrounded the image.

And after years of pain, her family believes she was finally reunited with the children she had spent her final years mourning.

Michelle Pearson was a mother who survived the fire — but never escaped its consequences.

She died 20 months later, holding a photograph of the four children she had lost.

Demi. Brandon. Lacie. Lia.

Forever her children. Forever remembered.