Outgoing, bubbly and loved, this is tragic teenager Leah Casson who lost her life in a house fire.
A body, believed to be that of the 18-year-old was found after the fierce blaze took hold of her home near North Shields town centre.
Police are treating the fire, which broke out at the property on Vicarage Street on Monday morning, as a suspected arson attack.
And today as investigations continue, Leah's family has paid tribute to her.
In a statement they said: "As a family we are totally devastated by what has happened. Leah was an outgoing, bubbly young woman who we loved so much, and we can’t believe she has gone."
Emergency services were called to Vicarage Street at just before 3.30am on Monday.
Three people, who the Chronicle understands to be members of Leah's family, managed to escape the property, but the body of a fourth person was found inside.
While formal identification is yet to take place, officers believe it was Leah who lost her life.
Detectives are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Police are calling on anyone who can aid the investigation to come forward.
Det Insp Louise Jenkins, the senior investigating officer said: “Our thoughts are with Leah’s friends and family at this incredibly difficult time. Not only have they sustained injuries themselves and lost their home, but they have to come to terms with the loss of a loved one.
“Our investigation remains ongoing and will do so until we can establish exactly what happened, and how Leah came to pass away.
“We are not ruling anything out and are currently treating the incident as suspected arson, but are asking anyone who has information or who thinks they can assist us, to come forward.”
If you can help, get in touch via the ‘Tell us Something’ page on our website, or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20230116-0067.
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