A FAMILY that lost five children in a house fire remain at the bedside of a sixth child who was also critically injured in the blaze.
Duwayne Philpott, 13, remains on a life support machine in hospital after a fire ripped through the family's home in Allenton, Derby, on Friday.
His five siblings, Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, seven, Jessie, six and five-year-old Jaydon were all killed in the blaze.
Steve Cotterill, assistant chief constable for Derbyshire Constabulary, said: "Duwayne suffered serious injuries in the fire. My thoughts are with Mr and Mrs Philpott at this distressing time."
He said the investigation is at an early stage as officers had not yet had a chance to talk to the Philpotts properly due to Duwayne's condition.
Mr Cotterill, who has suggested someone could be protecting the killer, urged anyone with information to come forward.
A 38-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman who had been arrested on suspicion of murder following the fatal fire were released without charge on Saturday.
Mr Cotterill said: "This is a complex inquiry which requires careful and methodical investigation.
"We are still treating the fire as suspicious and are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry.
"I strongly suspect that there is someone out there in the community who knows more than we are being told.
"I fully understand that people may be reluctant to talk to us."
He added: "My plea in this case is to remember that we are trying to find out exactly what caused the death of young children who had everything to look forward to in life.
"If someone has confided in you, now is the time to speak up and do the right thing."
The children were asleep upstairs when the fire broke out in the early hours. Their father, Mick Philpott, who is reported to have a total of 17 children, was downstairs at the time and tried to fight his way through the smoke and flames in what police described as a "valiant" attempt to save them.
Residents in the estate have set up a charity, Catch Me When I Fall, to help the family to pay for the children's funerals.
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