Erica Hay: Man is charged with murder after mother-of-four dies in house fire at Warnbro, Perth

A man has been charged with murder after he allegedly assaulted a woman and set their Perth home alight before fleeing.

Firefighters were called to the Warnbro home in Perth's southern suburbs at about 1am on Friday following reports of a house fire.  

The body of Erica Hay, 30, was discovered in a rear bedroom of the home on Currie Street. 

Luke Hanif Sekkouah, 35, and a three-year-old girl escaped from the house and were taken to Rockingham Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

Police allege Sekkouah had assaulted the mother-of-four sometime prior to 1am at the home where they both lived.

He set the house alight, fleeing the property with the woman's three-year-old child and leaving the victim inside, police allege.

Sekkouah, who was allegedly known to Ms Hay, was assisting police with their investigation before being charged with murder and criminal damage by fire. 

Police Acting Detective Superintendent Dave Gorton said Ms Hay's death was 'very confronting' for first responders. 

'There is no risk to the public, but the scene at the home was very confronting for the paramedics and police who attended the fire,' Mr Gorton said.

'I think for the first responders and the other emergency services, it was a very confronting scene for them.'

Authorities are yet to determine Ms Hay's cause of death.

'We've been in contact with the forensic pathologists, and we're still awaiting the information in relation to the cause of death,' Mr Gorton said. 

Paramedics took the the toddler to Rockingham Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and remains in a stable condition. 

The home sustained minimal damage in the blaze.

The man was discharged from hospital and is set to face Perth Magistrates Court on Sunday. 

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