Investigators said a fire that claimed the life of an 8-year-old girl last week was an arson.
The fire broke out in the Jeffersonville home just before 2 a.m. on April 27. When firefighters arrived, they found the body of MacKenzie Branham in her room, NewsChannel5 partner ONN reported.
Officials said the 8-year-old never woke up.
Everyone except the little girl managed to escape. Branham's family tried to go back and save her, but the smoke and flames were too intense, authorities said.
By the time rescuers arrived, it was too late.
At first, officials ruled the cause of the fire as accidental. But on Thursday, Fayette County investigators said it was arson.
Investigators said they made that determination based on the evidence and interviews they conducted. Authorities said they would not release the actual cause of the fire.
Fire officials said they will re-interview several people -- including the victim's mother and boyfriend. The coroner will also conduct a second autopsy.
The Blue Ribbon Arson Committee is offering up to a $5,000 reward. Anyone with information about the fire should call the State Fire Marshal's Fire and Explosion Investigation Bureau at (800) 589-2728 or the Fayette County Sheriff's Office at (740) 335-6170.
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