Girl, 14, lost legs in fire 'started by stepmother'
A 14-year-old girl suffered severe burns and lost her legs in the house fire that killed her father and was allegedly started by her stepmother, a jury heard.
A 14-year-old girl suffered severe burns and lost her legs in the house fire that killed her father and was allegedly started by her stepmother, a jury heard.
Georgina Vilella, aged 46, is accused of pouring petrol on her husband Carlos and setting their home alight in Pleck Road, Walsall, while he and his four children slept inside.
Mr Vilella's 14-year-old daughter was discovered hiding under a duvet in a bedroom by firefighters, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.
Suffering 55 per cent burns, she was taken to hospital and her left hand and both legs were amputated below the knee.
Neighbours' statements said they had heard a girl screaming and described the defendant as "emotionless".
Andrew Whitehouse told how he tried to help a girl he found slumped on steps in a garden of his neighbour's home. Other neighbours tried to help a girl jumping from an upstairs window.
The blaze happened at about 5am on March 28.
The jury heard Vilella had bought a petrol can days earlier, filling it with five litres of fuel costing £6.66.
The prosecution claims she poured petrol on her husband because he had fathered a love child. It emerged that the accused has tested positive for HIV.
After the fire, a petrol canister was found near the home. Giving evidence, fire investigation officer Peter Smith said it seemed a "liquid accelerant" had sparked the fire in the bedroom.
Yesterday, Mr Vilella's 20-year-old daughter Carla told the court she did not get on with her stepmother.
She said a family meeting was called to discuss the love child a few days before the blaze, and Vilella had asked her in Portuguese what the English word was for petrol.
Vilella denies murder and arson with intent to endanger life.
The trial continues.