South Fulton woman, 4-month-old daughter killed in house fire, family says
SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - A family is mourning the death of a 28-year-old South Fulton woman and her 4-month-old daughter who were killed in a house fire overnight.
The fire broke out at a two-story home along Connell Road not far from Flat Shoals Road shortly after midnight on Wednesday. When crews got to the scene, they said that about half the home was ablaze.
According to South Fulton Fire officials, crews spent the morning searching for two people not accounted for after the fire. The family has identified the two people as 28-year-old Lou-Janee Wilson and her daughter, 4-month-old Ma’Ciyaah Wilson-Johnson.
Fire investigators worked through the afternoon on Wednesday, combing through the charred rubble of a fire-ravaged home to determine what sparked the deadly blaze.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Family believe candles sparked South Fulton fire
Two people made it out of the residence before firefighters arrived. Wilson and her daughter were trapped inside. They died in the blaze.
Wilson was engaged to Kareema Harrison's son.
"Both she and the baby were both very joyful people," Harrison told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes.
Wilson's sister Miya Robinson told FOX 5 those living at the home had lit candles after losing power during Tuesday night's storms and believes burning candles may have started the fire.
"I was told that the power went out and they lit candles downstairs. You know the tall candles that have the little thing on them, they lit those I guess that's how the fire started," Robinson said.
Family, firefighters mourn loss of mother, infant in fire
The deadly fire was also hard on the firefighters who responded to the blaze.
South Fulton Assistant Fire Chief Glenn Washington said support services would be made available for firefighters who responded to the tragedy.
"We have a peer counseling team. We also have a professional psychologist on board we can talk to, as well as a team of chaplains that can come out and talk to crews that deal with this kind of incident," Washington explained.
Wilson was a mother of three. Two young children are now grieving the loss of their mother and baby sister.
"She was a really good person. She had a really beautiful spirit. Very strong person," Robinson said.
A GoFundMe has been set up by Wilson's fiance, Malachi Johnson, to pay for the funeral costs.
Friends and family gathered on Thursday to light candles and release balloons for the mother and daughter.
If you have any information that could help with the investigation, call the South Fulton Police Department.