4th child, newborn girl, dies after house fire in Imlay City
IMLAY CITY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A fourth child has died after a devastating house fire at a mobile home in Imlay City.
Family tells us their newborn, Keyairah, passed away Wednesday morning. She had been receiving treatment at the University of Michigan Hospital.
One sibling is still surviving after a fire ripped through the family's home early Tuesday morning. Mom and Dad both survived too, though Dad is in critical condition on a ventilator at the hospital. Their surviving son, 18-month-old Keyshawn, is sedated as well, according to an update posted to the family's GoFundMe account.
"Krystal is still doing well physically, but as a mother is completely broken, but still holding strong is her 18-month-old Keyshawn who is doing well still but still sedated," the update said. "Keith Sr. is also in [the] same condition as yesterday."
Last night the community came together and held a vigil for the family. Neighbors, friends, co-workers and strangers gathered in front of their home to remember the three children who died in it: 6-year-old Keith; 5-year-old Keyondre; and 3-year-old Keyanna.
"Words can't explain how much we love those kids," said Mary Muholland, a family friend. "They meant a lot to her."
Authories have not determined exactly what caused the fire at their home, which is about 45 miles north of Detroit near the M-53 and the I-69 intersection.
"We're only a town of about 3,500 so everyone knows everyone. So it's imperative that we reach out to our citizens because these children had friends in schools and they know each other. Having so many injured enough but to lose three children and to potentially lose several other people, it's devastating our community," police chief Scott Pike said just hours after the fire.
Pike also said Tuesday that fire investigators are looking into whether an alternate heating source may be to blame for the fire.
"We've been told furnace in mobile home was not working properly so we don't know if it's alternate heating source or something wrong with heater in the trailer itself," he said.
If you'd like to make a donation to the family, you can do so online via their GoFundMe account.