Police investigate baby girl’s death

POLICE are still investigating a house fire in Brae in which an eight-month-old baby girl was killed.

Annalise Middleton died and her father Billy, 32, was badly injured in the blaze early on Saturday morning. He remained in a serious condition on Monday in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

It appears seven people were at the house at Burgadale, some in a small tent in the garden, when the fire broke out at around 2.40am. The family’s six-year-old girl and four-year-old boy escaped from the house, suffering minor smoke inhalation and were taken to hospital in Lerwick as a precaution. Their mother Kareen, 23, was unhurt.

The police said on Monday the cause of the tragedy had yet to be established. The house in the so-called Toytown estate remains cordoned off while a police forensics team from Inverness helps fire service investigators examine the scene.

It took nearly an hour for firefighters from Brae and Hillswick to get the fire out. The council house was fire-damaged downstairs with smoke damage throughout.

Shetland police chief inspector Malcolm Bell said on Monday:  “We’re continuing to conduct examinations and inquiries to establish what has occurred.”

In a statement released through the police the family said: “We are shocked and devastated at the loss of our beautiful baby daughter Annalise. We find it too difficult at this time to put into words the loss we all feel.”
They asked to be left in peace to grieve.

A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.