GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Police Department says a house fire Saturday morning was deliberately set.
And at an afternoon news conference Monday GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom, Grand Rapids Fire Chief Brad Brown and Kent County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Becker gave an update. Becker said a first-degree arson charge and three counts of second-degree child abuse have been filed against 46-year-old Reconda Singleton. Formal charges (arraignment) were pending at the time of this report.
The GRPD and GRFD said three children ages 7, 10 and 12 were injured in the house fire, which broke out around 7:20 a.m. Saturday at a home on Eastern Avenue near Alexander Street. That's between Hall and MLK streets on the city's southeast side.
"Essentially what first-degree arson is is there was an intentional setting of a fire at a dwelling that caused an injury. And so, the child-abuses charges kind of go along with that. It's like knowing and intentionally committing an act likely to cause physical or mental harm," Becker said.
He added that allegedly setting a house on fire with children inside was the basis for his office filing the child-abuse charges.
The GRPD and Grand Rapids Fire Department were assisted in the investigation by the Michigan State Police Fire Investigations Unit and by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF).
After bodycam video was played at the news conference, Brown said the fire progressed "very rapidly from what we would normally see. On the first floor. And even all the black smoke billowing out on the second floor as unburned fuel. So, our members placed themselves directly in harm's way to save a life."
WOODTV.com livestreamed the news conference.
Three people were taken to a hospital. The GRPD said the 12-year-old victim remains hospitalized in critical condition. The other two victims, ages 7 and 10, were treated and released from the hospital over the weekend.
Grand Rapids Police said the mother of the three juvenile victims, 46-year-old Roconda Singleton, is in custody on multiple charges related to the incident.
The GRPD issued a news release that contained the following statement:
"Even though a suspect is in custody, anyone with information relevant to the investigation is encouraged to contact the Grand Rapids Police Department or Silent Observer. Detectives can be reached at (616) 456-3380 or tips can be sent anonymously through Silent Observer."
###
