Trending Topics

Watch: Mich. FFs rescue children in house fire set by mother

Grand Rapids Fire Chief Brad Brown described firefighters hearing the children screaming from inside the house, saying it “will live on in our heads for the rest of our lives”

By Bradley Massman
mlive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – With her children locked inside bedrooms, a mother allegedly removed all smoke detectors from her home and doused the two-story structure with lighter fluid.

She then allegedly set fire to the residence in an attempt to kill all three of her kids while the trapped children screamed for help, Grand Rapids’ police chief said during a press conference Monday afternoon.

The 46-year-old woman accused of setting the blaze faces arson and child abuse charges in Grand Rapids 61st District Court.

New details about a house fire on the city’s Southeast Side came to light Monday, Jan. 27, during a press conference at Grand Rapids Police Headquarters.

The house fire was reported by a passerby around 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at 956 Eastern Avenue SE. A motive has not been determined.

“To put it lightly, this is a shockingly cruel crime committed by a mother,” Grand Rapids police Chief Eric Winstrom said.

Winstrom was joined by Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker and Fire Chief Brad Brown who each shared horrific details about the case.

Trending
Access to the NFR has been disrupted following federal layoffs, prompting questions about the future of the firefighter cancer-focused research program
Thousands of first responders and survivors rely on the WTC Health Program to get treatment related to injuries and illnesses caused by the toxins at Ground Zero
The new Engine 23 from Seagrave revives the department’s 1970s-era Omaha Orange and white color scheme to enhance visibility and honor its history
Firefighters, police officers and teachers will see higher Social Security payments starting in April after the repeal of WEP and GPO under the new Social Security Fairness Act

An investigation revealed the woman removed all seven of her smoke detectors and put them in a bag outside, Winstrom said. She poured lighter fluid throughout the home before setting the fire, he added.

Three girls – ages 7, 10 and 12 – were inside as firefighters battled flames. Authorities played body-worn camera and dashcam footage that showed flames pouring out of windows as black smoke filled the air. The woman was outside of the home when police arrived.

At one point in the footage, a first-responder is seen administering CPR to a person on the ground. Firefighters could hear the children from the outside.

“(Those were) screams that will live on in our heads for the rest of our lives,” Brown said.

Becker’s office charged the woman with first-degree arson and three counts of second-degree child abuse. MLive/The Grand Rapids Press is not naming the woman pending arraignment, which was not immediately scheduled.

Two of the children were treated and released from the hospital. The 12-year-old girl remains in critical condition, Winstrom said. The father of the children has been involved throughout the investigation, but didn’t live at the home, Winstrom added.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC.
Visit mlive.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.