A grief-stricken grandmother has paid tribute to two baby triplets found dead in their home.
Single mother Sarah Owen, 29, found two of her five-month-old boys not breathing when she checked them on Saturday morning.
Paramedics rushed to her rented home in Bridgend, South Wales and took the triplets to hospital where two – Charlie and Noah – were pronounced dead. The third, Ethan, was unharmed.
Their grandmother Jane Owen has paid a heartfelt tribute to her grandsons, adding she has faced the ‘hardest day ever’ in the wake of the tragedy.
It was initially claimed the boys died from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, possibly from a faulty heater.
But neighbours were told by the boys’ grandfather – who came to the house to collect possessions – that this had been ruled out.
Two baby triplets were found dead in their home. Pictured: Triplets Ethan Noah and Charlie on their godmother’s Go Fund Me page
Paramedics rushed to her rented home in Bridgend, South Wales and took the triplets to hospital where two – Charlie and Noah – were pronounced dead
Two baby triplets were found dead in their home after being killed by suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in their sleep
Ms Owen posted a picture of the little boys smiling and wearing onesies.
According to The Mirror, she wrote on her Facebook page: ‘Today I had hardest day ever to say goodbye to my most beautiful grandsons Noah and Charlie goodnight my darlings sleep tight till we meet again love u so much xxx.’
Sarah Owen, 29, found two of her three five-month-old boys not breathing
The boys’ godmother Siobhan Boyd wrote on Facebook: ‘Having to say goodbye to two precious souls today is quite possibly the hardest thing I have ever had to do.’
Ambulance crews were called to the private rented home at 10.05am on Saturday after a 999 call.
The two triplets were pronounced dead later at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend. Police say their death is being treated as a ‘tragic accident’ although no further details were being released.
The triplets lived with their mother but were due to move out as the privately owned house has been sold.
A friend said of Ms Owen: ‘She loved those boys. They had a difficult start because they were very light but they were doing very well. She’s just devastated.’
Neighbour Anne Way, 64, saw paramedics at the house on Saturday morning.
She said: ‘It was awful, I saw a firemen carrying one of the babies out in his arms. ‘The poor little thing was grey in the face, I would say he was already dead.
‘They worked on the other one in the ambulance but there was nothing they could do.’
Mrs Way said the babies’ mother had taken them for a check-up on Friday at the local clinic.
She said: ‘They were born premature because they were triplets but they were all doing so well.
‘Their mother doted on them, she is a lovely girl and a good mother who gets lots of help from her parents. They were beautiful little boys and coming along well.’
Mrs Way said the babies’ grandfather had been back to the three-bedroom house after the tragedy.
She added: ‘He told me they had ruled out carbon monoxide. They don’t know what caused it.
‘They are carrying out tests and having post mortems, it’s just dreadful.’
Grief-stricken friends and family have rallied together in the wake of the tragedy
Neighbours say the boys’ mother had taken them for a check-up the day before they died
The boys’ godmother wrote on Facebook: ‘Having to say goodbye to two precious souls today is quite possibly the hardest thing I have ever had to do’
GOFUNDME PAGE SET UP TO RAISE MONEY FOR TRAGIC TRIPLETS’ FUNERAL COSTS
Single mother Sarah Owen, 29, found two of her five-month-old boys not breathing when she checked on them. Pictured: The triplets
The boys’ godmother Siobahn Boyd has set up a fundraising page to raise money for Ms Owen. She wrote: ‘Sadly this morning two of my beautiful godsons passed away. I’m trying to raise money for their mother.
‘If anybody would like to help hopefully we can raise enough to take the financial stress off Sarah at this difficult time thank you all for reading xxx’.
A friend said of Ms Owen: ‘She loved those boys. They had a difficult start because they were very light but they were doing very well. She’s just devastated.’
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A South Wales Police spokesman said: ‘At 10.05am emergency services attended an address in the Wildmill area of Bridgend to a report of two young children, two of triplets, who were found not breathing.
‘The five month old children were conveyed to hospital where tragically they were later pronounced deceased.
‘There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths which are being treated as a tragic accident.’
Officers were not releasing other details of the tragedy as the family were being comforted over the two deaths.
A police source said: ‘This is a particularly sensitive incident, which is still ongoing.’
The South Wales Fire Service declined to comment on their role in the tragedy.
A Home Office pathologist has been called in to carry out a post mortem examination on the two babies.
A file is due to be prepared for Glamorgan coroner Andrew Barkley and an inquest is expected to be opened next week.
The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed they sent three emergency ambulances to the scene as well as one ambulance car.
The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) Cymru air ambulance was called but ambulances had already left for the the Princess of Wales Hospital by the time it arrived.