Houston daycare fire kills 3 children

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HOUSTON -- From the outside, only a hole hacked in the roof offers any sign that a home day care center had been filled with so much smoke from a kitchen fire that firefighters needed thermal imaging equipment to locate some of the victims. The fire killed three children and sent four others to hospitals.

Investigators will be seeking answers Friday about what sparked the fire a day earlier at Jackie's Child Care, and looking for any indication that the fire need not have happened. A neighbor said day care operator Jessica Tata said she told firefighters that the fire started in the kitchen, while she was in the bathroom.



Seven children, ranging in age from 18 months to 3 years, were there. Houston Executive Assistant Fire Chief Rick Flanagan says three died, though officials could not immediately give their names or ages.

Of the injured, "I don't think they're out of the darkness yet," Flanagan said.

One was in critical condition and one was in good condition at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, said hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Hart. She said one child also had been transferred to Shriners Hospital burn center in Galveston in critical condition, and had no information on the other child.

Flanagan said two children had been transferred to the Galveston hospital, "and that shows you how bad their injuries were." A nurse at Shriners said they do not release information on patients.

yikes-a 22 year old taking care of that many kids

Breaks my heart.
Those poor parents.

Time will tell if neglect played a role.
Sounds like she went shopping and may have left the children in the care of another?


Fourth Child Dies After Houston Day Care Blaze
Feb 26, 2011 – 2:21 PM
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Lisa Holewa

Lisa Holewa Contributor
A fourth child died today as a result of a fire in a Houston home day care center, a local television station reported, and investigators are trying to determine whether the center's owner was out shopping when the deadly blaze ignited.

Eighteen-month-old Elias Castillo died this morning, Houston television station KTRK reported. Two other children who had been transferred to Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston -- which specializes in burn care -- remain in critical but stable condition. A third child was released from Houston's Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital on Friday.

The operator of Jackie's Child Care -- Jessica Rene Tata, 22 -- has not been charged with any crime. But a law enforcement source told the Houston Chronicle that Tata went shopping at a nearby store and returned either just before or just as the blaze broke out Thursday afternoon.
Houston daycare center
Michael Paulsen, Houston Chronicle / AP

A fourth child reportedly died today from a fire at a day care center in Houston on Thursday. Here, emergency workers attend the scene after the blaze.

"There's no question she went shopping," the source, who asked not to be identified, told the newspaper Friday. "They're trying to determine exactly when she returned, although it was a very close proximity (in time) to the fire."

Investigators also are trying to determine whether she left another adult in charge of the seven toddlers inside the day care facility, the newspaper reported.

The scene outside the home Thursday was heartbreaking; the one-story home engulfed in flames as firefighters ran down the crowded street carrying small children to ambulances.


That morning Betty Ukera, a third-grade teacher, dropped off her 19-month-old daughter, Elizabeth, after giving her a quick kiss. At 1:40 p.m., she told reporters she answered her cell phone after seeing the day care's phone number on her caller ID. It was Tata.

"She was screaming 'You've got to get here quickly! All the babies are dying!'" Ukera told the Houston Chronicle.

Ukera told her students to keep working and ran down the hall to the school principal, where she told him, "My baby! My baby! My babysitter called and said the children are dying at the day care."

The principal quickly drove her to the house; as they approached, she could hear the wailing of ambulances. Emergency workers wouldn't let anyone pass; she got out of the car and ran toward the house, where she found Tata outside, screaming and crying. "Where's my baby? Where's my baby?" Ukera asked her.

A police officer gave the principal a list of hospitals where the children were taken and the two set off -- first to the closest, where another child was being treated in the ER, then to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, where Ukera was told no information would be given until the children were identified.

"And I said, 'Bring out the clothes,'" Ukera said. The nurse brought out a pair of pink leggings and a blouse -- both belonging to Elizabeth. "Is she alive?" Ukera asked. She remembers someone saying, "I'm sorry, ma'am. We did everything we could."

All seven children in the home were between the ages of 18 months and 3 years, investigators said. State child care rules say home day care operators should not care for more than six children of preschool age -- generally defined as older than 18 months but younger than 5 years.

The mother of another girl who died in the fire, 20-month-old Kendyll Stradford, went to the house on Friday, sobbing as she stood at the front door, the Associated Press reported. "I just wanted to see how bad it was," Kenya Stradford said.

Stradford said that Thursday was her "sweet, laughing" toddler's second day at the center. If she could talk to Tata, Stradford would ask her about the tragedy.

"I just need to know what happened," Stradford said.

**

Related Stories

* Texas Probes if Kids Were Alone Before Day Care Fire
* Fire at Houston Daycare Center Kills 3, Injures 4

Originally Posted by chestnutfall Breaks my heart. Those poor parents. Time will tell if neglect played a role. Sounds like she went shopping and may have left the children in the care of another? Fourth Child Dies After Houston Day Care Blaze Feb 26, 2011 – 2:21 PM Text Size Print this page|EmailShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on DiggShare on Lifestream Lisa Holewa Lisa Holewa Contributor A fourth child died today as a result of a fire in a Houston home day care center, a local television station reported, and investigators are trying to determine whether the center's owner was out shopping when the deadly blaze ignited. Eighteen-month-old Elias Castillo died this morning, Houston television station KTRK reported. Two other children who had been transferred to Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston -- which specializes in burn care -- remain in critical but stable condition. A third child was released from Houston's Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital on Friday. The operator of Jackie's Child Care -- Jessica Rene Tata, 22 -- has not been charged with any crime. But a law enforcement source told the Houston Chronicle that Tata went shopping at a nearby store and returned either just before or just as the blaze broke out Thursday afternoon. Houston daycare center Michael Paulsen, Houston Chronicle / AP A fourth child reportedly died today from a fire at a day care center in Houston on Thursday. Here, emergency workers attend the scene after the blaze. "There's no question she went shopping," the source, who asked not to be identified, told the newspaper Friday. "They're trying to determine exactly when she returned, although it was a very close proximity (in time) to the fire." Investigators also are trying to determine whether she left another adult in charge of the seven toddlers inside the day care facility, the newspaper reported. The scene outside the home Thursday was heartbreaking; the one-story home engulfed in flames as firefighters ran down the crowded street carrying small children to ambulances. That morning Betty Ukera, a third-grade teacher, dropped off her 19-month-old daughter, Elizabeth, after giving her a quick kiss. At 1:40 p.m., she told reporters she answered her cell phone after seeing the day care's phone number on her caller ID. It was Tata. "She was screaming 'You've got to get here quickly! All the babies are dying!'" Ukera told the Houston Chronicle. Ukera told her students to keep working and ran down the hall to the school principal, where she told him, "My baby! My baby! My babysitter called and said the children are dying at the day care." The principal quickly drove her to the house; as they approached, she could hear the wailing of ambulances. Emergency workers wouldn't let anyone pass; she got out of the car and ran toward the house, where she found Tata outside, screaming and crying. "Where's my baby? Where's my baby?" Ukera asked her. A police officer gave the principal a list of hospitals where the children were taken and the two set off -- first to the closest, where another child was being treated in the ER, then to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, where Ukera was told no information would be given until the children were identified. "And I said, 'Bring out the clothes,'" Ukera said. The nurse brought out a pair of pink leggings and a blouse -- both belonging to Elizabeth. "Is she alive?" Ukera asked. She remembers someone saying, "I'm sorry, ma'am. We did everything we could." All seven children in the home were between the ages of 18 months and 3 years, investigators said. State child care rules say home day care operators should not care for more than six children of preschool age -- generally defined as older than 18 months but younger than 5 years. The mother of another girl who died in the fire, 20-month-old Kendyll Stradford, went to the house on Friday, sobbing as she stood at the front door, the Associated Press reported. "I just wanted to see how bad it was," Kenya Stradford said. Stradford said that Thursday was her "sweet, laughing" toddler's second day at the center. If she could talk to Tata, Stradford would ask her about the tragedy. "I just need to know what happened," Stradford said. ** Related Stories * Texas Probes if Kids Were Alone Before Day Care Fire * Fire at Houston Daycare Center Kills 3, Injures 4

Yep that's what we are hearing on the news here. I am not sure who was watching them while she was gone. Like you say we will have to wait and see.

How the heck can anyone leave 7 toddlers alone even to go the bathroom, much less leave to go to the store?
So tragic.

There are now 4 dead babies :(

And to make it worse she fled the country. She is now in Nigeria.

They found the cause of the fire to be a pan of grease left on the stove with the burner on. And they are still saying she was NOT home at the time.

I can't believe the let her leave. They had more than once chance to arrest her.

Originally Posted by Smoothiie1206 There are now 4 dead babies :( And to make it worse she fled the country. She is now in Nigeria. They found the cause of the fire to be a pan of grease left on the stove with the burner on. And they are still saying she was NOT home at the time. I can't believe the let her leave. They had more than once chance to arrest her.

I was just coming to post this, unbelievable!

UPDATE

Day care fire fugitive surrenders A woman accused of fleeing the US after a fire at her Texas day care centre killed four children has turned herself in to authorities in Nigeria, her brother said. Ron Tata said that relatives in Africa informed him that his sister, Jessica Tata, went to the US consulate. "She just felt really, really, really bad about the whole situation, especially for the families. It would be the right thing to do," he said during a phone interview from his home in Houston. US Marshals Service spokesman Jeff Carter said the 22-year-old woman was not in the agency's custody, and Harris County district attorney spokeswoman Donna Hawkins said she had received no information that Tata was being held. Peter Claussen, spokesman for the US embassy in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, said late on Saturday that he had no information about Tata's possible surrender. Authorities believe she fled to Nigeria two days after a fire erupted at her home day care centre in Houston on February 24. Four children were killed and three were injured. Tata has been charged with manslaughter, injury to a child and child abandonment amid accusations that she left the youngsters alone at her home day care centre while she shopped at a nearby store. Authorities believe the fire was ignited by a stove top burner that had been left on. Fire investigators have said they received a tip that Tata had relatives in Nigeria and might flee. Family members of the young victims told the Houston Chronicle that they were relieved to hear she had turned herself in. "I cried, but the tears were of joy," said Keisha Brown, whose 16-month old son Elias died in the fire. "All I wanted was justice and closure." The US Marshals Service, which was leading the search for Tata, had put the woman on its list of the 15 most wanted fugitives and offered a reward of up to 25,000 US dollars. Interpol, the international police agency, alerted its member countries, including Nigeria, that she was being sought by the US.

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