(Brooklyn-WABC, November 5, 2003) -- In Brooklyn, a dramatic legal development in the case against Kim Braithwaite - the mom charged with leaving her two young children home alone, who then died in a fire police say was deliberatey set.
Today - prosecutors decided to drop the charges against Braithwaite.
She was lead away from her home here in handcuffs, charged with reckless endangerment, and released on $35,000 bail just in time to attend the funeral of her two young children.
Evadne Jonas, Neighbor: "Coming home from work, she didn't know her kids were dead. Oh my God."
Jonas says her neighbor has suffered enough.
The decision comes nearly one month after the arson fire that killed 9-year-old Justina Mason, and her 13-month-old brother Justin Braitwaite.
Doug Rankin, Mother's Attorney: "I think part of it had to do with the huge public outcry, for people understand what working mothers such as my client go through every day."
The children died when an arsonist set their basement apartment on fire in the middle of the night, while their mother was working the nightshift at a McDonald's in downtown Brooklyn. Forced, apparently, to leave the children alone when her babysitter didn't show up.
"She just took a chance, like any other parent. Because I was a single parent with my kids, and I know it's hard to have to go out there to work to take care of your children. You never know, people get on your back because you don't go to work. I mean, you call in sick too many times you're risking your job. We have enough suffering losing her two kids at one time, I think that's enough suffering for her."
The Brooklyn D.A. has refused to discuss the case, but Eyewitness News has learned that the mother, Kim Braithwaite is now cooperating with detectives. The estranged father of one of the children is reportedly emerging now as a prime suspect in the case.
