A Michigan mother, Roconda Singleton, has been charged with murder after a tragic house fire that led to the death of her daughter, Shamiya Stewart, who succumbed to her injuries on Monday.
According to WOOD-TV, Singleton, 46, was formally charged with murder on Wednesday. The incident occurred at their Grand Rapids home, where it is alleged that Singleton started the fire.
Reports from MLive indicate that Singleton removed all seven smoke detectors and locked her three children in their bedrooms prior to dousing the home with lighter fluid and igniting it. While Singleton’s two other children, ages 10 and 7, managed to escape, firefighters were seen pulling Shamiya from a second-story window.
Fire Chief Brad Brown remarked, “(Those were) screams that will live on in our heads for the rest of our lives.”
Singleton reportedly told investigators that her intention was to die alongside her daughters so “they could be free.” She had been admitted for mental health treatment in August and has a history of threatening and paranoid behavior, as reported by WOOD.
Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom stated that the children’s father is cooperating with the ongoing investigation, emphasizing that he did not reside in the home where the deadly fire occurred.
In addition to murder, Singleton faces charges of first-degree arson and three counts of second-degree child abuse. She was arraigned on the lesser charges on Tuesday, with the timeline for her arraignment on the murder charge still unclear.
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[Feature Photo: Kent County jail/GoFundMe]
