MI-Brendon Mahone, 9; Zyher Swain, 8, Madison Swain, 4; Eastpointe;*Die in fire* 10 March 2018

[imstilla.grandma]

The kids were identified by relatives as 9-year-old Brendon Mahone, his brother, Zyher Cameron Swain, 8, and their cousin, 4-year-old Madison Swain. The children had been left home alone in the 15600 block of Juliana Avenue, near Gratiot Avenue and Eight Mile Road, Eastpointe officials said.

Responding to 911 calls shortly before 5 a.m., city police officers were first on the scene but were unable to enter the burning brick house because of heavy flames and smoke, Acting Public Safety Director Eric Keiser said.
Eastpointe house where three children died lacked working smoke detectors

*Nov 12 2018
Amber Renee Swain has been charged in connection with a March 10 house fire on Juliana Avenue near East 8 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue.

Amber Swain is due back in court at 1 p.m. Nov. 20.
Eastpointe woman charged in fire that killed three children

*Oct 2 2019
Police said Swain left the children home alone.

"So if the professionals say that you was gone four hours, but you immediately said that you were only gone maybe an hour, well, this wouldn't have happened. We wouldn't be here now," Dennis Mosley said.

Swain will face a judge Thursday morning.

"She has to be held accountable for her actions. The evidence is there. If they haven't been left alone, they would still be here," Brenda Mosley said.
Child-abuse charges maintained against women whose children, niece died in Eastpointe fire

*Oct 17 2019
Judge James Maceroni said it remains a question of fact whether Amber Swain, 29, should be convicted of three counts of second-degree child abuse because she was so reckless in leaving the children home alone for more than three hours during which they died. The charges are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Maceroni says in a six-page, Oct. 3 opinion that leaving the children home alone “could be viewed as reckless behavior as she knew of the existence of a risk of harm and disregarding that knowledge and risk for leaving the children home alone.”

Swain faces a Dec. 9 pretrial in front of Maceroni.

She remains free on a $25,000 personal bond.
Child-abuse charges maintained against women whose children, niece died in Eastpointe fire

 

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Meanwhile, in Goodfield, Illinois, a 9-year-old child has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder in connection with a mobile-home fire that occurred in April of this year that caused five individuals to perish. The juvenile also has been charged with two counts of arson and one count of aggravated arson. Because the suspect is a minor, his or her identity has not been revealed.

Katrina Alwood, 27 at the time of the fire and her son survived the blaze, having to watch the others perish. In charging the child, prosecutors contend it was known that others were present when the fire was deliberately set. The suspect is to be appointed an attorney and will be subject to a bench trial, in front of a judge. The suspect is likely not to be imprisoned, but rather, receive probation for the incident.
Mom Faces Criminal Charges After Children Perish in Fire - Legal Reader