Jun 20, 2007 3:25 pm US/Eastern
D.A. Recommends Charges Against Mom In Fatal Fire
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala is recommending that charges be filed against at least one of the mothers who lost children last week in deadly fire in Larimer.
Zappala is recommending that Shakita Mangham be charged with involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person (relating to firefighters who had to fight the fire), endangering the welfare of children and possibly lying to investigators.
The fire killed three of Mangham's children: Dezekiah Holyfield, 3, Cedano Holyfield Jr., 4, and Daekia Holyfield, 7.
There's no word yet on possible charges against the other mother, Furaha Love. Today, she faced another round of questioning.
"She feels awful," says Love's attorney, Ernest Sharif. "She's a mother who loved her children very much, the children love her very much and now two of them are dead. She feels terrible."
Love's children, Azequel Rankin, 5, and Andre Rankin, 6, both died in the fire.
Zappala is also recommending no charges against the 8 year-olds who are believed to have started the fire.
Pennsylvania law will not allow people under the age of ten to be charged with murder.
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