Michelle Pearson, 37, died holding a photo of her four children more than a year-and-a-half after they were killed in an arson attack on their home in Salford. The fire occurred in December 2017 and left Pearson with severe burns before she passed away in August 2019. Zak Bolland and David Worrall, both in their late twenties at the time, received four life sentences each for the murders. Prior to the attack, the family endured months of harassment including smashed windows and firebombed bins, yet they were unable to secure emergency housing due to bureaucratic hurdles.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In August 2019, Michelle Pearson died at age 37 while holding a photo of her four murdered children in Salford, Greater Manchester. The tragic event occurred more than a year-and-a-half after her children—Demi (15), Brandon (8), Lacie (7), and Lia (3)—were killed when their home was set on fire during an arson attack in December 2017. Pearson suffered severe burns covering 68% of her body from the blaze but survived until she passed away later in hospital.
At Bolton Coroner's Court, it was revealed that a neighbor had seen one of the perpetrators, Zak Bolland, smashing windows at the family home weeks before the attack. Both Bolland and co-conspirator David Worrall were sentenced to life in prison with minimum terms of 40 years (Bolland) and 37 years (Worrall). Additionally, Bolland's girlfriend, Courtney Brierley, received a sentence of 21 years for her role in the murders. The family released a statement saying, "All of the children had such bright futures ahead of them," expressing their sorrow over the loss of time shared with them.
The case highlights the devastating impact of prolonged harassment and threats on families' lives, culminating in an unspeakably tragic outcome.
Written for “Arson Attack Victims Inquest” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
A mother died holding a photo of her four murdered children after their house was torched in an arson attack, an inquest heard.
asserted
inquest → die → attack
Michelle Pearson passed away aged 37 in August 2019, more than a year-and-a-half after her children, Demi Pearson, 15, Brandon, eight, Lacie, seven, and Lia, three, died in the devastating blaze at their home in Salford.
Ms Pearson suffered 68 per cent burns to her body in the fire - which occurred in December 2017 - but 'clung on to life' until she died in hospital.
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she → pass → hospital
It was heard at an inquest at Bolton Coroner's Court this week that the mother-of-six passed away with a crucifix in her hand around a photo of her children.
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mother → hear → children
Zak Bolland and David Worrall, then aged 26 and 28 respectively, were found guilty of all five murders and both given four life sentences.
It was however heard that Ms Pearson and her children had been 'petrified' in the weeks leading up to the attack following a series of incidents at their property in Walkden.
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Pearson → age → Walkden
The mother told police she was in danger - and even visited a house provider seeking alternative accommodation.
She also reported having her windows smashed, her bin set on fire and graffiti painted on the walls of her house as part of an escalating feud.
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bin → tell → feud
Ms Pearson's mother, Sandra Lever, said in a statement read out in court that her daughter had been desperate to move home.
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daughter → say → court
Michelle Pearson (pictured) died aged 37 clutching a photo of her children, more than a year-and-a-half after four of them died in a devastating house fire
Eight-year-old Brandon (left), Lacie (centre), seven, and Lia (right), three, died in the house fire
Demi Pearson (pictured) also passed away at the age of 15 in the blaze
'Michelle was beyond distressed,' she said.
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she → picture → blaze
She was not eating.
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She → eat → ?
The children were petrified of living in Jackson Street.
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children → live → Street
It was also heard how the children were having nightmares and Brandon, then aged eight, had told his mother he no longer wanted to live there.
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he → hear → mother
But Ms Pearson felt 'fobbed off' by a provider after being told she did not meet the criteria for emergency housing.
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she → fob → housing
A neighbour of the family, Elaine Williams, told how just weeks before the fatal arson attack she saw Bolland smashing the windows of Ms Pearson's home with a hammer.
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Bolland → tell → hammer
Mrs Williams said: 'She wanted to move from there.
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She → say → ?
She was fed up of all the trouble.
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She → feed → trouble
She just wanted out.
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She → want → ?
'Michelle, her nerves were shot.
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nerves → shoot → ?
Relatives of the family believe their deaths were 'wholly preventable' and have raised the question of 'missed opportunities' to protect them by state agencies.
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deaths → believe → agencies
Timothy Brennand, senior coroner for Greater Manchester West, opening the inquest, expected to last around eight weeks, told the hearing: 'This is not a trial, this is not an exercise in blame and shame.'
He said the inquest would seek to examine whether there was 'any predictable threat to life' and 'what could or should have been done that might have prevented these deaths'.
uncertain
that → open → deaths
The coroner said the inquest aims to give the Pearson family a voice but added that their concerns, 'coalesce into two words of rhetoric – "What if?"'
Zak Bolland (left) and David Worrall (right), then 26 and 28 respectively, were jailed for life over the attack
A statement released by the family when Ms Pearson passed away read: 'We know she's back with her children and out of pain'
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she → say → pain
Mr Brennand read the remarks of Mr Justice Davis, who jailed for life the family's killers, Bolland and Worrall, for carrying out the attack with petrol bombs in the dead of night.
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who → read → night
Mr Brennand said the judge had determined a series of tit-for-tat attacks had taken place as part of a feud in the lead-up to the fatal firebombing, but what lay behind the dispute was never made public.
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lay → say → dispute
Earlier, Anna Morris KC, representing the Pearson family, read pen portraits about each of the victims from their families.
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KC → represent → families
She described Michelle Pearson as a devoted mother who read her children bedtime stories each night.
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who → describe → stories
After suffering massive injuries herself in the blaze, for some time during lengthy hospital treatment she was not aware her children were dead, but her mental health deteriorated after she was given the news.
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she → suffer → news
'We know she's back with her children and out of pain,' the family statement said.
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statement → know → pain
Demi was described as a 'happy, smiley child' who was 'best friends' with her mother.
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who → describe → mother
Brandon had an infectious smile and was a 'mummy's boy' while his sister Lacie was a little 'diva' and Lia a little chatterbox with a cheeky laugh.
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Lia → have → laugh
'All of the children had such bright futures ahead of them,' the family statement said, adding: 'We cherish the short time we shared with them.'
Bolland and Worrall were both given four life sentences and told they would serve a minimum of 40 and 37 years respectively for the petrol bombing.
Bolland's girlfriend, Courtney Brierley, 20, was jailed for 21 years for four counts of manslaughter.
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girlfriend → have → manslaughter
The inquest continues.
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inquest → continue → ?
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