Father of 3 loses everything after ex-girlfriend sets fire to house

DETROIT (WJBK) - A father and his three children lose everything in a fire and it was no accident.

The victim says the fire was deliberately set, because of a romance gone wrong.

James Davis decided to help out his ex - who had become a good friend. He says he let her stay with him, but when he asked her to leave everything changed.

"She actually started it in here, and finished when she went in the house," Davis said.

James Davis saved a framed picture of his kids. Only a few things were able to be salvaged from his Detroit house after his ex-girlfriend set it on fire on Dec. 27.

"She was down on her luck," he said. "I was helping her out for a minute. The time came for her to leave. I asked her to come get her things, she came into the house got her things and set my house on fire.

"She walked out and said 'bye.'"

It took Davis a few minutes to smell the smoke. He opened up the door to the basement and was thrown back by the smoke and flames.

Davis ran after Kedda Johnson - but by the time he got outside she was gone.

"I'm out here panicking," he said. "I'm glad my kids weren't here. Everything I own is gone."

Luckily at the time his three children ages 7, 9, and 12 were celebrating Christmas at their mother's house.

But now the heartbreak is setting in.

After being homeless, Davis saved enough to move his family into this rental house last fall. But unfortunately both Davis and his landlord did not have insurance.

"I'm just trying to get back on my feet homeless for three years struggling, working hard just got stuff through Christmas," he said. "And she totally destroyed my whole life."

Davis' children, who lived with him during the school year are now staying with their mother but he is now forced to live out of his van, again.

Police have a felony warrant out for Johnson for setting Davis' vehicle and house on fire.

But they are still unable to track down the 42 year-old caregiver.

"I've never done wrong to anybody trying to help a friend in need and this is the result of that," Davis said. "I want justice, I want her found. I want her prosecuted to the fullest."

If you would like to help Davis and his children, a crowd funding page has been set up online. CLICK HERE to donate.