A woman has revealed how she watched in horror as her ex-husband burned her mother in front of her.
Susan Lynch, 52, from Benfleet, Essex, was at her mother Jennifer Cronin’s home in March 2018 when her abusive ex Kieren Lynch, 50, broke into the garden with her arm on fire.
As Susan made a cup of tea indoors, Kieren doused Jennifer’s face, head and back in petrol and set her on fire. He then engulfed the rest of his body in flames.
Kieren died later that evening at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, while Jennifer died 17 days later.
Susan Lynch, 52, has shared her story on ITVX’s new series A Murder in The FamilySusan, who has appeared in ITVX’s new series A Murder on The Family, stressed that she believes her mother would still be alive in the police force and has taken her complaints seriously.
A spokesman for Essex Police confirmed that on the morning of the murder officers changed the status of the case from “high risk” to ‘medium risk’ – meaning they did not anticipate “imminent” physical harm.
Describing some of the early abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband, Susan explained, “It started with pushing and poking in the chest, but it escalated over time. Gradually more force would be applied – [such as] sit on my chest or press on my neck.
Kieren Lynch on vacation in New York with Susan and daughters Molly and Matilda Jennifer Cronin died on March 13, 2018 when her former son-in-law set her on fire in their garden
He would be full of apologies the next day, but there would always be a reason why he lost his temper.
‘I was embarrassed that I didn’t do anything [in response]. I was embarrassed that it happened to me. I never said anything to anyone – I didn’t even tell my mother. I just accepted it.’
After initially trying to help her husband, Susan ended the relationship when his erratic behavior became too much to deal with.
Though Kieren began to get his life back on track after the breakup, Susan said he became aggressive again after learning she was dating someone else.
In January 2018, he sent a series of violent text messages before going to the family home and smashing the garden patio with a hammer.
He was arrested for criminal damage but was released on bail later that night on condition that he not contact Susan.
But he continued to call her and her family up to 80 times a day, even threatening to kill one of his daughters the day before the gas attack.
On the new show, Susan audio shared about a phone call she made to police at 2am the night before her mother was murdered.
She told police: ‘My ex-husband keeps calling me all night. He’s doing it to my mother where my daughter lives.’
Jennifer was terrified of Kieren’s threats and Susan had left to comfort her mother at her home in South Benfleet, Essex, when Kieren arrived ‘screaming her head off’ with a burning arm.
Susan, Kieran, Matilda and Molly on a family vacation before the couple’s split.
Susan watched in horror as her mother died in the attack in the backyard of her home.
Unable to save her mother from the attack, Susan said, ‘She had no eyebrows, no eyelashes. All her hair was burned off.’
