Georgia house fire kills mother, 4 children
A mother and four children, all under the age of five, were killed in a house fire overnight in Newnan, Georgia.
Police Chief Douglas L. Meadows said the house was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene, but 11-year-old Nautica McCrary was able to escape with the help of someone passing by. She was taken to the hospital, but is expected to be fine.
CNN identified the victims as Alonna McCrary, 28, and her four children: Eriel McCrary, 5; Messiaay McCrary, 3; Nikiay McCrary, 2; and McKenzie Flourence, 1.
The Associated Press identified them as Alonna McCrary, 27, and her 5-year-old daughter Eriel McCrary and 2-year-old daughter Nikia White. Messiah White, 3, and McKenzie Florence, 2, were also killed in the fire and said to be sleeping over at the home when the fire started.
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"She always took care of her girls, she always made sure that the other sisters were together," Shannon Arnold, a relative of the victims, told CNN affiliate WSB about the mother. "She just had so much love for all the girls."
A neighbor called in the fire, which broke out shortly after 1 a.m. at the single-story brick home.
Glenn Allen, a spokesman for the state Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner's office, said the fire started in an electrical panel in the den of the home and it has been ruled accidental.
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