Young couple and their newborn baby die in a tragic housefire in Melbourne

Inderpal Singh Sohal, his partner Abbey Forrest and their three-week-old daughter tragically died in their home in southwestern Melbourne after it was engulfed in flames on Wednesday morning.

Abbey Forrest with Inderpal Singh Sohal and their newborn baby girl. Source: Emily Forrest via GoFundMe

Highlights

• Young couple and their newborn baby die in a fatal house fire in Melbourne
• A 46-year-old woman has been charged with murder and arson causing death
• The matter will be in court again on 14 January 2021

A 46-year-old woman appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday on three counts each of murder and arson causing death, after she was arrested yesterday morning over a fatal fire incident in a Point Cook townhouse earlier this week.

The woman was charged following a fatal house fire that occurred in a Totem Way property at about 3.40 am on Wednesday morning that claimed the lives of 25-year-old Mr Sohal, his 19-year-old partner Ms Forrest and their newborn baby daughter.

'We loved Inderpal paaji'

Abhinav Sehgal who grew up with Mr Sohal in Shahpur, a small town in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh said he was "shocked and heartbroken" at the tragedy.

 

"We used to fondly call him 'paaji' (brother). He was a very caring and loving person who would take out time to meet everyone when he returned to India. He was very close to my elder brother. We all used to enjoy a game of volleyball whenever we got together," said the 26-year-old.

General view of fire damage at a residential property in Point Cook, Melbourne, Wednesday, December 2, 2020. Source: AAP Image/James Ross

In an earlier statement, the police said that the emergency services were called to the property after reports of a blaze emanating from the townhouse that had spread to more residences in the neighbourhood.

Two neighbouring properties also suffered damages along with the townhouse that was gutted in the fire.

Ms Forrest’s sister, Emily Forrest has begun crowdfunding to raise funds to cover the costs of funerals and memorials for the deceased trio. She described them as “beautiful souls who had their lives tragically cut short,” in the GoFundMe post.

“In the early hours of Wednesday, December 2nd, a house fire in Point Cook claimed the lives of my 19yo sister, her loving partner and their almost 3-week-old daughter,” she wrote.

Picture of the couple's Point Cook residence destroyed by fire. Source: AAP Image/James Ross

The matter will be in court again on 14 January next year, a Victoria Police spokesperson said in a statement to SBS Punjabi.

SBS Punjabi has reached out to the families of the victims for comment.

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