Melbourne mother charged over fatal house fire tracked to Moama on NSW-Victoria border

A Melbourne woman charged with negligent manslaughter in connection with a house fire that killed two of her children and seriously injured a third has been traced to Moama, a town on the NSW-Victoria border, where she remains on bail under court supervision. Shania Lee, 25, of Tarneit in Melbourne’s west, faces two counts of negligent manslaughter and one count of negligently causing serious injury after investigators allege she left her children inside a Fergus Street rental as a blaze took hold last year.

The fire occurred on September 8 last year in Sydenham, in Melbourne’s north-west, after neighbours reported hearing explosions and flames. Three children were pulled unconscious from the rear of the property and transported to the Royal Children’s Hospital; Izabel, 5, and Lyvia, 2, died in hospital, while Kalais, 3, survived after being placed in an induced coma. A fourth child who was not at home at the time was unharmed. Firefighters fought the blaze for about half an hour while investigators worked to determine its cause.

Law enforcement officials say Lee and her partner at the time, Matthew McAuliffe, 23, left the property shortly before the fire began and returned later to find emergency crews on scene. Police allege the couple drove to the Sunshine area to steal a car door for Lee’s Jeep and were seen leaving the Fergus Street address just before the blaze started. Detectives say arson investigators believe the fire began in the master bedroom before the couple left, and that the fire was still burning when they departed.

During the bail hearing, investigators asserted Lee had been recorded on prison telephones discussing the alleged crime with McAuliffe while he was in custody earlier in the year. Prosecutors also alleged that Lee watched CCTV footage of the property as neighbors heard screams during the blaze. They argued that Lee knew the house was on fire when she left, a claim the defense challenged by noting it is not conclusive that she was aware the home would burn so rapidly. Although Lee cooperated with police to some extent, she refused to provide a formal statement, the court was told.

Lee appeared via video link from the Melbourne West Custody Centre for the bail hearing, visibly distressed at times, and repeatedly sobbing as the proceedings unfolded. The magistrate heard that the household had only recently moved into the Fergus Street rental the week before the fire. Neighbours described a chaotic scene as the blaze unfolded, with fire and smoke visible from the street and a rapid sequence of emergency responses.

In opposing bail, Det. Sen. Const. Christopher Mitchell told the court that investigators believed Lee was aware of the danger and that her actions contributed to the children’s exposure to the fire. He said the fact that she did not call emergency services at the time was a serious factor in the prosecution’s view of the case. Prosecutors argued Lee’s past conduct—including prior convictions for failing to appear in court while on bail and other indictable offences while on bail—raised concerns about her compliance with conditions and potential for reoffending. They also cited ongoing concerns about her drug use and alleged access to an illegal firearm.

Lee’s defence lawyer, Sam Norton, argued that there was no definitive proof that his client knew the fire would escalate, noting that the available evidence could be interpreted in multiple ways. He acknowledged that the case presented serious questions about Lee’s awareness and actions, but contended there were circumstances that might excuse or mitigate liability depending on how the facts are ultimately proven.

The court granted Lee bail on the condition that she reside with her mother, Lynn Hawkett, in Moama. Moama is about 250 kilometers northwest of Melbourne, just across the border from Echuca, and serves as a logistics hub near the river that forms the border between New South Wales and Victoria. Echuca Police Station is approximately 3 kilometers from the town’s center, where Lee appeared for bail processing and where she was visited by a Daily Mail reporter who was allowed to record the moment she declined to comment outside the police station.

Prosecutors said McAuliffe, who was also charged in connection with the fire, would be joining Lee in Moama under the same bail conditions. He has not yet entered his plea in relation to the charges against him. The next court date for the pair is set for January, when a judge will revisit the bail terms and hear additional evidence gathered by investigators and the defense.

The investigation included the involvement of arson and explosives experts, who examined the scene for signs of deliberate setting and potential accelerants. A police dog was carried from the backyard as responders worked to secure the scene and determine the sequence of events. Authorities said the dog appeared uninjured and had likely fled the house before the fire intensified.

Lee’s complex personal history has been cited by prosecutors as part of the context for the bail decision, though the current case centers on the alleged actions on Fergus Street on the night of the fire. The defense stressed the need for a careful, evidence-based assessment of the duties and responsibilities of a parent facing grave and specific charges, and the court heard that Lee had attempted to cooperate with investigators to a degree, even as she refused to provide a formal statement.

As the legal process moves forward, the focus remains on establishing the sequence of events on the night of the fire, the exact role of the accused and her partner, and the level of knowledge or intent that would determine the appropriate charges and potential penalties. The victims’ family members have not publicly commented on the bail decision, and authorities have indicated they will continue to pursue the case with thorough and careful fact-finding at forthcoming hearings.