'A tragic accident': No charges to be filed after 3 children killed in West Bloomfield house fire
WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - The parents of three children killed in a house fire early this year in West Bloomfield will not face charges, the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office announced.
The children, Hannah, Jeremiah, and Jacob, were inside a home on Pembury Lane on Feb. 2 when it caught fire, trapping them in the house.
The backstory:
According to the prosecutor's office, the parents had "security measures" to protect Jacob and Jeremiah, who both had autism. Jeremiah was non-verbal and had repeatedly left the home unsupervised, the prosecutor said.
West Bloomfield police executing search warrant at home where fatal fire killed three youths
A search warrant could indicate a criminal investigation is underway after the blaze killed three young people. Officials already confirmed there were no working smoke detectors.
"Investigators concluded the deaths of Hannah, Jeremiah, and Jacob Oliora resulted from a tragic accident," Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. "The security measures in the home were the result of a caring and expert-informed effort to protect the two boys."
No crime was committed, McDonald said.
"This tragedy was not a crime. When you take a step back, it’s clear this is the story of two parents who took the necessary steps to try to protect their kids and support their family under challenging circumstances," she said.
The Source: Previous reporting and a press release from the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office were used in this story.