Cleveland police publicly confirmed what NewsChannel5 reported last week: someone started the fire in an apartment building that killed four children, all of them siblings.
Cuyahoga County Coroner Elizabeth Balraj ruled Saturday that the deaths were homicides.
The children all died of smoke inhalation in the Tuesday morning fire.
The bodies of 8-year-old Aleyshia Hayes, 5-year-old twins Marvin and Markel, and 3-year-old Racheal were found in the third-floor bedroom where they had been trapped.
Last week, sources close to the investigation told NewsChannel5 that a specially trained dog picked up the scent of accelerants in the building.
Mayor Frank Jackson suggested the ultimate price for those responsible.
"We have to be aggressive and deliver the message that if you're caught doing this that you will be prosecuted to the extent of the law. There will be no second chance because none was given to those children," Jackson said.
Sources also said that surveillance cameras may have captured an image of a suspect entering and leaving the building around the time the fire stared.
The fire department is still investigating the cause of the blaze and will likely make an announcement on Monday or Tuesday, officials said.
Previous Stories:
- April 7, 2006: Source: Video Shows Possible Suspect In Fatal Fire
- April 6, 2006: Fire That Killed 4 Kids Intentionally Set, Sources Say
- April 5, 2006: Mom Says Daughter Tried To Alert Others To Fatal Blaze
- April 5, 2006: Fund Established For Family Of 4 Children Killed In Fire
- April 5, 2006: Officials Question If Building Where 4 Children Died Was Habitable
- April 5, 2006: Fatal Apartment Fire Brings Back Memories Of East 87th Street Fire
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