investigations firegeezer on 06 Sep 2007 08:22 am
Mother Arrested Following House Fire
A MARION COUNTY, INDIANA (Indianapolis area) woman was arrested yesterday in connection with a fire at her residence this past Saturday. She had left her two children home unattended when she went out shortly after midnight Saturday morning. While she was gone, the house caught on fire and was discovered by a passing police officer.
The two children, ages 7 and 9 years, suffered heavy smoke inhalation and remain unconscious in the hospital. Immediately after the fire, the Child Protective Services agency took protective custody of the children. Yesterday the mother appeared in Juvenile Court in an attempt to recover custody of her children. Instead, the judge charged her with 2 felony counts of child neglect and ordered her arrested.
Fire and police have been jointly investigating the fire and have determined the location of origin. They are now awaiting tests to determine the cause.
According to police records, one of the children injured in the Saturday blaze started a fire in May 2003 at a different residence. The child told police and fire investigators that she had set a mattress on fire at a residence in the 3100 block of Baltimore Terrace, according to the report.
Indianapolis Channel 13 has the STORY and a VIDEO.
