Man, 23, charged with murder after girl, 7, and aunt die in house fire

Man, 23, charged with murder after girl, 7, and aunt die in house fire Cleveland Police said a 23-year-old man has been charged with two counts of murder, two counts of section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent and two counts of attempted section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent A man has been charged with murder after a house fire which killed a seven-year-old girl and her aunt. Police rushed to the scene of the blaze at Birchington Avenue in Grangetown at 5.23am on August 26. Natalie McDonald, 34, and her niece Valentina Foster both lost their lives in the tragic incident, while four others sustained injuries. On Tuesday, Cleveland Police said a 23-year-old man has been charged with two counts of murder, two counts of section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent and two counts of attempted section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent. The man will appear in Teesside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, September 1. "This has been a truly tragic incident, and my thoughts remain with the families of all those involved," said senior investigating officer from Northumbria Police, Katie Smith. "I would like to thank local residents for their support and patience during this complex investigation. Smith asked that anyone with information to share it using the Major Incident Public Portal. Katie Nicolson, chief crown prosecutor for CPS North East, said: "Our prosecutors have worked closely with Cleveland Police to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring this case to court. Nicolson reminded all concerned that proceedings are active and the accused has the right to a fair trial. "It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in anyway prejudice these proceedings," she said. Another man, 31, was arrested in connection with the case and released without charge on Sunday. Police said on Friday that a woman, 48, was in the Royal Victoria Infirmary in a "critical but stable" condition while a 27-year-old man was at James Cook University hospital receiving treatment. Two teenage girls were both discharged after suffering non life-threatening injuries.