Man accused of murdering mother and three children dies in prison cell in Bradford case
Mohammed Shabir, 44, who faced four murder charges and one attempted murder charge tied to a West Yorkshire house fire, dies in custody; death under investigation.
A man accused of murdering a mother and her three children in a house fire has died in his prison cell at HMP Leeds, authorities said Friday. Mohammed Shabir, 44, was in custody awaiting trial on four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in connection with the West Yorkshire blaze that killed Bryonie Gawith, 29, and her children, Denisty Birtle, nine, Oscar Birtle, five, and 22-month-old Aubree Birtle.
The blaze occurred on Westbury Road in Bradford in the early hours of a morning last year. It is alleged Shabir acted with two other men—Sharaz Ali, 40, and Calum Sunderland, 26—who were due to stand trial in Bradford Crown Court in November for four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. All three deny the charges.
Ali, who was arrested at the scene and sustained serious injuries, was later charged with murder in March after doctors determined he was fit to stand trial following a marked improvement in his condition. West Yorkshire Police said Ali was the ex-partner of a woman who was visiting the family at the time.
Following the fire, Bryonie's family issued statements expressing unimaginable sadness and grief. They described Bryonie as a "happy, joyful, bubbly" person who cared for everyone, and referred to her children by nicknames: Denisty as Chuch, Oscar as Oggy, and Aubree as Strawberry. They said the losses have left them overwhelmed and requested privacy to grieve.
HMP Leeds confirmed Shabir died on 24 September 2025 in custody and said the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate the death, as is standard in custody deaths.
The investigation will review circumstances surrounding Shabir's death and his time in custody.