A 23-year-old man has been charged with murder after a fatal house fire in Middlesbrough claimed the lives of a seven-year-old girl and her aunt.
Valentina Foster and 34-year-old Natalie McDonald died after flames tore through a property in Grangetown shortly after 5am on Wednesday.
The blaze left both victims dead and four other people injured.
Cleveland Police said the suspect, previously named as Jaden Wright, 23, 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.
He is due to appear before Teesside Magistrates’ Court later on Tuesday.
A 31-year-old man who was also arrested in connection with the case was released without charge on Sunday.
It comes as Valentina’s family and locals released dozens of balloons in her favourite colours to give the little girl ‘the best send off’ on Monday night.
Footage shows scores of pink and purple heart-shaped balloons being let off together on a residential street in Southbank, near the location of the fatal fire.
Little Valentina (pictured) and her aunt, Natalie McDonald, were killed when a home was set alight in Grangetown, Middlesbrough, on Wednesday
Valentina and her aunt Natalie McDonald are pictured
Local residents attended a balloon release this evening to give Valentina ‘the best send off’
Pink smoke is also released into the air while spectators watch on.
Ahead of the event, a family member said: ‘Please everybody who can make it be there – as many people as possible give our baby girl the best send off she deserves.
‘Her favourite colours were lilac and pink so pink balloons if possible.
‘Let’s give her the best send off.’
Police said on Friday that a 48-year-old woman was in the Royal Victoria Infirmary in a ‘critical but stable’ condition and 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.
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.
‘We remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendant are active and he has the right to a fair trial.
Pink smoke is also let into the air while spectators watch on
Police officers at the scene of the Grangetown house fire on Wednesday
PC Matthew Blades, 37, was killed when his police vehicle was struck by a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough
PC Tom Clough, 38, also died in the crash, which occurred around ten seconds after a police pursuit of the Volkswagen was called off
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‘It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.’
On Friday, police confirmed the fire was not being linked to a fatal collision on the A66, which killed seven people, including PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.
Officers initially said they could not rule out linking the house fire with wider gang violence that broke out in Teesside after the crash.
As part of a separate probe in the area, armed police raided two homes on Burns Road, Grangetown, during the early hours of Monday.
Cleveland Police later said that two men, aged 19 and 24, had been arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
The force said the pair were arrested after a vehicle was ‘rammed into another vehicle’ on Derwentwater Road just after 11pm on Sunday.
Both men remain in custody.
The raid comes after a week of escalating violence thought to be linked to a postcode war between two factions of a local organised crime group and the fatal A66 crash.
Armed police raided two homes in Grangetown in the early hours of Monday
Officers were seen aiming their weapons through the doors of one home
The young men in the car were said to have been pursuing rival gang members shortly before driving the wrong way down the A66 and smashing into a police vehicle that PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough were in.
Michael Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, and Cole Worthy, 17, all died in the crash. Four of them had lengthy criminal records ranging from theft, harassment and assault to drug dealing and knife possession.
Officers have also arrested and charged an 18-year-old man with dangerous driving after a vehicle was spotted being driven dangerously in the town at 4pm on Saturday.
A total of 27 people have now been arrested after a fatal head-on crash on the A66.
Fires were seen in local fields after at least five cars were set alight at a balloon release in memory of one of the crash victims.
PC Blades and PC Clough were remembered with a minute’s applause ahead of a match between Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, while PC Blades’ sons walked out as mascots with Manchester United on Sunday.
Supporters also paid their respects at Seaton Carew’s game against FC Hartlepool. PC Blades had been a junior coach for both teams.
Locals say the atmosphere in Grangetown is tense this week, with some afraid to leave their homes.
Retired truck driver Allan Scott, 78, traces much of the unrest back to drugs.
‘Drugs are the biggest culprit. It’s a way of life for them,’ he said. ‘Years ago, people would grass each other up to the police, but they don’t now.
‘People are too scared to go to the police. There is an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.’
Police have been drafted in from across Britain to back up the local force, which is one of the smallest in the country.
More to come.