Ind. Fire Claims Mom, Children

INDIANAPOLIS --

A woman and two children died early Saturday after they were trapped in a southeast side home, fire officials said.

Firefighters arrived at the home at 342 S. Emerson Ave. just after 6 a.m. and found heavy smoke coming from the front of the double residence, said Capt. Rita Reith.

"It was total darkness in there. I had a flashlight, but smoke was all the way to the floor," said landlord Don LaRue, who lives next door.

Three people were found inside -- Cheryl Strong, 32, and her boyfriend's children, Michael Fox, 16, and Kelsey Fox, 8.

Both Strong and the 16-year-old boy were pulled from the home by firefighters, but were pronounced dead at the scene.

The 8-year-old girl was transported to Riley Hospital For Children, but died a short time later.

Strong's boyfriend, Daniel Fox, 37, told fire officials that he woke up to sounds of the children screaming for everyone to get out of the house.

He said he ran into the bathroom to try and open a window, but when the door shut behind him, he couldn't get back out.

Fox said the children were banging on the door and trying to open it when they were overcome by smoke.

"They were just screaming really bad saying, Help, help, help," said family friend David Wethington. "Because the door knob came off, he had to jump out the window. Then when he came to the outside, the flames started shooting out at him."

Fox broke the bathroom window and climbed to safety. He suffered minor injuries.

"He said the door just slammed behind him and he couldn't get it back open," said Strong's mother, Carol Strong. "It wasn't nobody's fault."

Cheryl Strong's sister, Kitty Strong, told 6News she's upset that some Internet commenters on sites like TheIndyChannel.com are blaming Fox for not saving the children and his girlfriend.

"It's all over the Internet, saying it was his fault because he didn't go back in there after them. He couldn't get to them," she said.

The family said Strong, a mother of four whose children were taken away several years ago, had bonded with Fox's children, and had stayed the night because they were visiting.

"From what I understand, they found Cherie with the little girl cuddled in her arms," said Carol Strong.

Fox told fire investigators that he believed a space heater caused the fire.

It took firefighters 40 minutes to bring the blaze under control. The house is considered a total loss, Reith said.

Copyright 2010 by TheIndyChannel.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.