COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—A woman was arrested on suspicion of murder Tuesday after a house fire killed her 16-month-old daughter and critically injured her four other children.
Maria Darlene Joseph, 25, will likely face other charges as well, police Lt. Skip Arms said.
Ashia M. Joseph died from smoke inhalation and burns in the Monday night fire, the El Paso County coroner said.
The other four children were taken to The Children’s Hospital in the Denver suburb of Aurora, where they were all listed in critical condition. Their names and details of their injuries were not released.
Police said the children were a 3-year-old girl and boys ages 5, 8 and 9.
State Department of Human Services spokeswoman Liz McDonough said El Paso County human service workers had contacted the family in the past, but said she could not provide details. She said the state will investigate the county’s handling of the case.
Authorities said the children’s father, Simeon Joseph, committed suicide at the house in October by shooting himself.
Arms said someone inside the house called 911 to report the fire at about 10 p.m. Monday. When police arrived, the house was filled with smoke but there was no fire, he said. The cause was still under investigation.
Maria Joseph was found about a block away. She was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and was arrested after her release from a hospital.
Police said she also uses the name Maria Darlene Gardner.
Larry Messamer, a neighbor, told The Gazette newspaper of Colorado Springs the children were limp as rescuers carried them to ambulances.
“It was all split-second. One was crying for their mom,” he said.
