PA Mom Charged In Deaths Of Her 3 Children

ERIE, PA — The mother of three children who perished in a house fire March is facing criminal charges in connection with their deaths.

According to Erie County District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz, Danozjna Shaliti Marjie Williams was involved in a drug deal on March 29 when a fire broke out in her apartment.

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The fire claimed the lives of her three children, who were in the apartment in her absence.

“This is a heartbreaking, but completely preventable tragedy," Hirz said in a statement.

"The evidence shows these young children were left without supervision in a situation where they needed their mother to protect them and keep them safe. That duty was abandoned, with devastating consequences.”

According to Hirz's office, search warrants revealed evidence that Williams had left her children at the home unsupervised when the fire broke out. Police allege that Williams was gone for approximately 50 minutes to facilitate a drug transaction.

Her 5 and 3-year-old children were pronounced dead at an Erie hospital.

Her 5-month-old was flown to Pittsburgh, where she later died.

According to ErieNews Now, when firefighters were called to the apartment, they had trouble getting inside because a mattress was blocking a stairwell and a couch was in front of a door at the top of the stairs.

Firefighters entered through another door and found the three children in a bedroom. Court papers say no adults were inside the apartment.

Williams allegedly told police her brother was supposed to be watching the children.

She then said she had only left for about five minutes to go to Walmart. Video evidence did not corroborate her story, authorities said.

Williams is being held in the Erie County Jail without bail.