Heartfelt tributes continue to flow for a little girl and her nanny who died in a horrific house fire that authorities are not yet considering suspicious.
Eight-year-old Raven Contini was found inside the still-burning house in the Brisbane suburb of Thornside early Sunday morning, and Stephanie Ryan, 31, is listed as missing.
Ms. Ryan’s body was later found at the Bayside Court home, where she had been caring for Raven while her parents were off the interstate.
Raven has been remembered for her big smile, while her nanny has been described as adorable.
Ms Ryan had arrived in Brisbane on holiday from Alice Springs last week, five days before the horrific fire.
The police homicide squad and child protection officers are investigating the cause of the fire, although suspicious circumstances have not yet been ruled out.
Among the flowers, cards and toys left outside the house was a message for Raven that said, “Fly high, beautiful girl.”
Birkdale South State School also paid tribute on Tuesday, describing the pupil as a precious gift to the community.
Eight-year-old Raven Contini (pictured) was found inside a still-smoking house in the Brisbane suburb of Thornside early Sunday morning.
Nanny Stephanie Ryan (pictured) was initially listed as missing, but her body was later found.
“Staff and students loved her cheerfulness, her friendly smiling face and her imagination,” principal Amanda Turnbull said in a statement.
‘Raven’s love of sparkly ribbons will forever set her apart and remind us every day what a precious gift she was to our school community.
“Our Guidance Officer team and Student Care team will be available to support our community this week as they too come to terms with this news.”
Raven’s mother Chloe Rodgers-Falk and stepfather Matthew were on holiday in Ballina, New South Wales, at the time of the tragedy.
“They are obviously devastated,” Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said.
Ms Ryan’s relatives also laid flowers at the memorial in front of the burned house.
His grandmother, Thelma Cowell, told reporters that Ryan was from the Northern Territory and had only been to Queensland on holiday.
“I didn’t know them (Raven’s family) very well, I just know that my granddaughter was babysitting,” she said.
“She was a lovely girl, annoying, but she was a lovely girl.”
Ryan’s aunt Karen Linsley told the Courier Mail: “She was amazing in a word, she was always smiling, always happy, well most of the time.”
“She would do anything for anyone, no matter what.”
‘She was great with the kids, she was always there for all of mine, for all of her cousins.
Ms Ryan had initially been declared missing after authorities were unable to gain full access to the building.
About 30 firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, which caused part of the roof to collapse. His body was later found inside the destroyed home on Monday.
Neighbor Xia Iheng told the alphabet He desperately tried to help after witnessing the fire that devastated the house.
“I said ‘I don’t have a hose, I just have buckets’ and a young woman helped me water the fire, but it was very strong,” he said.
“I feel overwhelmed, with a lot of emotions, just shocked and exhausted.”
Photographs from the scene showed that one side of the roof collapsed during the fire.
A family friend was living in the garage at the time of the fire, but had briefly left it to go shopping and returned home to find the house (pictured) in flames.
Raven’s heartbroken family paid tribute to the girl on Sunday night.
“I loved to cook, I loved to shop, I love to socialize, a very special and much loved eight-year-old girl,” Christine Mary and Robert Arthur Rodgers-Falk said in a statement.
They nicknamed her Turtle. She was very pretty. She lifted us up when we saw her.
Relatives of both victims have organized online fundraisers.
“Stephy will always be remembered as a smiling and happy young woman, always there for anyone who needed her, without a doubt, with great love for her family and friends,” Ms Linsley posted. GoFundMe.
‘We are all devastated with the news of what happened yesterday.
“We would like to give Steph the send-off she deserves. Our entire family greatly appreciates any help.”
A family friend was living in the garage at the time of the fire, but had briefly left it to go shopping and returned home to find the house in flames.
Letters and flowers have been left at the site in tribute to eight-year-old Raven (pictured)
A letter reading “fly high, beautiful girl” was accompanied by a hand-drawn dove (pictured)
The man had been “very co-operative” with police, Inspector Dalton said.
“We have no suspects,” he said.
“There is nothing to indicate that this fire is suspicious in any way, but we will treat it as if it is, until we find it, we will make a determination one way or another.”
Police are urging anyone with information, mobile devices or CCTV footage to come forward.
