Jenny Hayes admits to setting Point Cook house on fire killing young family

A sex worker who set a young family’s Point Cook home alight in a fit of rage has wept in court, claiming not to know they were upstairs.

Police and fire fighters at the scene of the apartment fire in Point Cook that claimed three lives. Picture: David Crosling

An enraged sex worker has admitted setting a house on fire that saw a young mother killed alongside her partner and their newborn baby.

Abbey Forrest, 19, Inda Sohal, 28, and their three-week-old daughter Ivy died when Jenny Hayes set a mattress alight inside their Point Cook home and fled on December 2, 2020.

Hayes, 47, from Fawkner, is understood to have earlier been in a dispute over sexual services with a man who rented a room at the Totem Way townhouse.

Abbey Forrest, Indi Sohal and baby Ivy died in the house fire.

Jenny Hayes has admitted setting the house on fire.

She returned to the property to torch it at 3.40am.

The man said to be the target of the vengeful attack was not home at the time.

Hayes claims she did not know the young family was asleep upstairs.

She bowed her head and wept as she said the word “guilty” three times when each charge of arson causing death was read out to her in Victoria’s Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Police and firefighters at the scene of the fire.

The family perished inside

Appearing via video link from the women-only prison, Dame Phyliis Frost Centre, she also confirmed her name, address and date of birth, before answering “sex worker” when asked what her occupation was.

Hayes was initially charged with three counts of murder, but in a plea deal with the prosecution, she pleaded guilty to the lesser arson charge.

Arson causing death carries a maximum penalty of 25 years’ jail.

Hayes will return to court for a pre-sentencing hearing on November 7.