DAYTON — A mother and her infant son who died in a Dayton fire that started in a kitchen early Thursday morning have been identified.
The victims were identified as Charonda Childs, 23, and Cassius Childs-Hunt, 7 months, according to family members and the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.
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Fire crews responded to the 1300 block of Tampa Avenue, near South Paul Laurence Dunbar Street, around 3 a.m. and found fire coming from the attic area of the home, Dayton Fire Chief Jeffery Payne said.
Firefighters said the fire started in the kitchen, however what started it hasn’t been determined.
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As firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, neighbors told them there may be people still in the house. As firefighters entered the home, firefighters found Charonda and Cassius, Payne and eyewitnesses said.
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They were transported to an area hospital but were later pronounced dead.
“She was a great mother and posted about her baby every day on Facebook,” ShaNice Childs, sister of Charonda, told News Center 7’s Mike Campbell.
“She would do anything on earth for the baby,” ShaNice said.
The cause of the blaze is unknown and under investigation, according to officials.
We’ll continue to update this story as more details become available.
