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Phil Noble / Reuters
The coffins of six children who died in a house fire are carried into St Mary's Church for their funeral service in Derby, central England, Friday. Their parents, Mick and Mairead Philpott have been charged with causing their deaths.
LONDON -- A British couple charged with the murders of their six children were kept in jail pending their trial as the children's mass funeral was held Friday, according to a report.
The children -- Duwayne Philpott, 13; and younger siblings Jade, 10; John, 9; Jack, 8; Jesse, 6; and Jayden, 5 -- died in an arson attack on their home in Derby, England, on May 11.
Their parents, Mick and Mairead Philpott, broke down in tears at a press conference days after the fire; they were arrested on suspicion of murder on May 29.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cotterill, of Derbyshire Constabulary, said the funeral would be "an understandably difficult and emotional time and I would particularly ask that anyone attending, and the media who cover the funeral, respect the privacy of the family and mourners," according to ITV News.
Six horse-drawn hearses took the children's bodies to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Bridgegate, where Friday's service was held.
Andrew Yates / AFP - Getty Images, file
A firefighter walks past the fire-damaged house in which six children died in Derby, central England.
The Order of Service, which was reproduced by ITV News, included tributes and photographs of each of the children:
- Duwayne was "a charming and caring young boy that was turning into a young man."
- Jade was "a beautiful princess who became a mother hen to her younger brothers … she would always carry them around on her hip."
- John was "a cheeky chappy, always lively and ready to pick a fight with all the boys… No matter how much he was in trouble he would always crack a smile and find it a joke."
- Jack was "a real pretty boy with bright blue eyes. He was cute, cuddly and content with everyything… he was the quietest sibling and he was a delight to be around."
- Jesse was "crazy, clumsy and cheerful… He was fearless, getting into scrambles with his brothers, with no care in the world."
- Jayden "being the baby of the family was looked after by his big brothers and mothered by Jade… He would go into the garden clean and come back into the house messy in minutes."
The Telegraph newspaper reported the children's parents, who are in jail awaiting trial, were not allowed to attend the funeral by the prison service.
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Leave a Comment:
Rest in Peace sweet little ones.
with your screen name and the picture beside it, your comment made it all the more precious.
It's a sad day for the family of these beautiful children. How could parents who supposedly brought them into this world with love do such a horrible action. May their souls rest in peace. God Bless.
I don't understand this kind of culture, their killing of children, abductions, torture in secluded basements, serial killers, eating human flesh, etc. It surely generates a lot of cold blooded people. I never heard of that back in Cuba, people there kill once in a while for women or macho bravado, usually when they are drunk and hot blooded. This is a surreal world.
That's why I support death penalty. People like this should be killed as merciless as they killed those children.
I no longer support the death penalty, but not for reasons you may think. Death is the easy way out..... I want those who commit these crimes to stay in jail for the rest of their life without the option for parole. Prison is a living Hell - just where they belong. Can you imagine having to sit there day after long day for the rest of your life thinking about either what you did (remorse) or what you lost out on (selfishness) - either way, it has to slowly but surely drive you crazy and make you suffer way beyond insertion of the needle. Oh, and prison also offers you the comfort of knowing that every day may be your last, but certainly NOT by way of an easy out!
Rest in peace, sweet little ones.
And, parents, may you never find peace - here, there, or beyond
I agree Cassandra...those who kill, rape, molest and harm children should be SLOWLY tormented EXACTLY the same way in the middle of the prison for all to see, because we know their are enough sick bastards in prison and that most of them do not accept those that do ugly things to kids.
Rest in peace little angels.
I support the death penalty as well but since they don't have it over there it is really a mute point.
Once again, I do not happen to agree with the other Cassandra and should not be confused with her. Let's just hope that Agamemnon has enough time and energy for us both.
The death penalty needs an overhaul. Those guilty of murder should be executed in the same manner as how they killed their victims. In this particular case, if found guilty, lock the two parents in a building and set it on fire.
If the parents did this, may they rot in hell.
If they didn't, I feel sad for them for not having the opportunity to say good bye to the children that were taken from them.
Agreed. I believe it said "arrested on suspicion of murder..." if they are guilty, then fine, but I thought folks were innocent until proven guilty. The whole thing is sad.
It's so hard for me to believe that there is a higher power watching over all the atrocious acts committed against children, twittling his thumbs while we all just exercise our "free will". Just sit back and allow it to happen. Poor babies. :'(
.
Because God gives us choices, and for to come in and stop us from making those choices takes that freedom have a gave us away. It hurts and it sucks, especially when some so innocent suffer and die at the hands of evil people. I don't blame God. I blame man for being so twacked and evil. They are the ones to blame.
May those beautiful children rest in peace. :(
It is hard to reconcile. But free will is what was traded for Paradise. Would we really want to live in eternal bliss? I'm thinking it would get pretty boring. Free will means being responsible for our actions, our choices. I would have no problem facing my Maker and taking responsibility after taking the life of an evil doer. I think God would approve.
'If ' they did it, then why did they do it??
What is the evidence against the parents?
It was a very puzzling headline though...suggesting that the parents killed the children because the children had been kept from the funeral.
Cassandra-854239
That's exactly what I thought when reading the headline the first time.
Poor children, if their parents where evil enough to kill them this way, what other heinous crimes did the parents commit against these babies before they came up with this plan? May these babies rest in peace, and may the parents suffer a LONG and VERY PAINFUL existence.
That's how the British talk. Never ask for potato chips over there...they're called "crisps". That's just one example.
I hope the police are wrong and the parents didn't do it. Hard for me to imagine anyone doing this.
POS parents!!!
Killing is too good for them, Let them live, locked up, and SUFFER. Every day they will have to think of what they have done, if they are guilty.
The arson was a heinous crime and, in this case, one that took the lives of six innocent children. As old as I get, there are some aspects of human behaviour that I will never understand. May you rest in peace, children.
So sad to hear this about children.The story,even the one from England doesn't illuminate this. As in post #7- it's hard to follow.
sad and tragic- I cnnot wait to see British Justice once again work- parents will probably get off with a fiver each
Everyone already blaming the parents and they haven't even had a trial yet. We don't know if they are really guilty. As of now, they are just suspects.
I hope that if they are innocent or if this was an accident not arson that they will be able to heal from losing their 6 children.
These little ones are safe with Jesus now and it will be up to the courts to decide what really happened and if the parents are truly guilty. Let us remember that
I think it's a mistake not to let the parents attend the funeral. If they are innocent, it is a double blow to lose their children and then to be accused of their murder.
Lock'em up, throw away the key and play rap music 24hrs a day.
Hurts to hear when little one die. Lives cut so short is never fair. As for the parents if they are guilty of this terrible crime I hope they get the death penalty
If the parents really are innocent how the hell can we make this up to them? at a time when they need the most love an compassion we lock them up and do not even allow them to attend the funeral?