Enfield Fatal Fire Victim's Baby Girl Born Prematurely; Family Calls Her Survival a 'Miracle'

By Brian McCready, Patch Editor

Krissy Willis gave birth to a baby girl named Hollie Ories this week.

Normally, that would be a moment of pure joy, and it was, but it also comes on the heels of a personal tragedy for Willis, whose fiance, Joshua Johnson, 20, died in a fatal fire in Enfield last month that claimed the lives of four people.

And the birth was far from easy for Willis, whose baby was born months prematurely and weighed in at a dangerously light 1 pound and 13 ounces, NBC Connecticut reports.

Willis’ family say the stress and trauma of her fiance’s death led to pregnancy complications, and Hollie wasn’t due until March. But Krissy was rushed to the hospital this week and Hollie was delivered via a C-section, NBC reports.

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Despite Hollie’s dangerously low weight, family members say only because of a miracle she will survive, and the baby is now breathing on her own.

In fact, Willis’ cousin Lisa Stone told NBC Connecticut she has faith that Hollie will survive because she seems to have inherited her father’s fighting spirit.

“Josh is going to live through that baby. She looks just like him,” Stone told NBC.

While the family is still healing after December’s tragedy, they still need your assistance in the form of financial donations.

The town of Enfield has been collecting monetary donations for all of the victims of the fire.

Financial contributions can be made to the Enfield Food Shelf, Fire Relief Fund, and mailed to Social Services at 100 High Street, Enfield, CT 06082. They are asking for no household.

Connecticut State Police detectives from the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigative Unit are continuing their investigation into the cause of the house fire that killed four Enfield residents, Patch reported previously.

Investigators are working with the Thompsonville Fire Marshal and Enfield Police Department to determine the cause and origin of the fire in the duplex at 68 S. River St.

All of the victims were residents of the duplex that erupted into a fireball about 6:15 a.m. on Dec. 10.

The medical examiner has ruled that Orise Handfield, 59, and Cathy Armes, 36, both died of smoke inhalation. Johnson and David J. Cygan, 19, also died in the blaze.

The four victims were among nine people who lived in the building. Richard Johnson, 21, and his mother, Laurie Patnode, 36, survived the blaze. Other residents of the duplex who escaped were Mary LaPane and her sons, Andrew, 19, and Jack, 12.

Related stories:

• For Enfield Fire Victim, ‘It Was All About Family’
• Enfield Rallies to Help Fire Survivors
• Update: Four Dead Following Enfield House Fire