Mother faces backlash for leaving disabled son to burn in LA wildfires: 'She’s going right to Hell'

Mother faces backlash on X as she recalls desperate attempt to save son Rory, as flames engulfed their Malibu home.

A Malibu mother’s devastating loss during the Los Angeles wildfires has turned into a heated conversation on social media. Shelley Sykes shared the heartbreaking story of how her 32-year-old son, Rory Callum Sykes, tragically passed away in the fire after being unable to evacuate due to his disabilities. 

Rory, who was born blind and with cerebral palsy, had recently moved to the United States with his mother from Sydney. Shelley has since been flooded with both support and criticism on social platforms, particularly X, where users have weighed in on the unfortunate events.

One particularly troubling comment read, "That mother who left her disabled son to burn in the LA fires because she couldn’t carry him. I know she had a NASTY insurance policy on him. She going right to hell."

That mother who left her disabled son to burn in the LA fires because she couldn’t carry him. I know she had a NASTY insurance policy on him. She going right to hell

— your dad’s “friend” from college (@_dojomo) January 13, 2025

Shelley remembers her son, Rory, as a loving, logical, and cheeky man who had a way of inspiring others, even despite his disabilities. "He always said, ‘It isn't what happens to you in life that counts. It's what you do about it that matters,’" Shelley recalled.

The events leading to Rory’s death are outlined painfully by his mother, who explained that the fire conditions near their 17-acre property started to escalate late on January 7, 2025. 

As evacuation orders came around 3 a.m., Shelley and Rory chose to stay. Shelley did everything she could to keep her son safe, even suggesting he sit in the shower to avoid the heat, but by 6 a.m., the fires were too close. Shelley recalls seeing flames reach Rory's cottage, but when she tried to retrieve him, the door was locked, and with no water to fight the flames, she was helpless.

The situation only worsened when Shelley sought help from local firefighters, who ultimately returned with the news that Rory had not made it. “The chief came and said, ‘We want you to come with us. We need you to identify,’” Shelley recounts. She arrived at her property to find the cottages destroyed, reduced to nothing more than ash.

However, as Shelley grieves, social media users have been quick to share their frustrations. One X user shared, "Another disabled person has died from the fires because he couldn't be evacuated. We have to do better. We have to put plans in place to evacuate disabled people." Another post added, “YT people can be so evil 😭😭😭😭, this lady really got on tv and said her blind and cerebral palsy son told her to leave him to die in the fire so she can live.”

Another disabled person has died from the fires because he couldn't be evacuated. We have to do better. We have to put plans in place to evacuate disabled people. https://t.co/KfY2R7nqhE

— lissa (@maladyvessel) January 13, 2025

YT people can be so evil 😭😭😭😭, this lady really got on tv and said her blind and cerebral palsy son told her to leave him to die in the fire so she can live

— Cello/Phn (@Cellowphane) January 12, 2025

Shelley is determined to honor his memory, with plans to rebuild the family’s property into a “happy home” — an orphanage Rory had dreamt of starting. “Hopefully this is a new start, new beginnings,” Shelley says of the future ahead.