The small town of Wabash, Indiana, is in mourning after a tragic house fire claimed the life of a 2-year-old girl and critically injured a 6-month-old baby. FOX59 reports that the blaze began yesterday afternoon, leading to the deployment of multiple firefighting units to the scene at the 600 block of Columbus Street.
As firefighters tackled the flames, two young children were discovered inside the home. Reports from the Indiana State Police, provided to WTHR, indicate the 6-month-old was found unconscious and not breathing, just moments after life-saving measures were immediately administered to the child. They were then airlifted to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis and, last known, remained in stable condition. The 2-year-old, identified as Deliaha Goforth by responding officials, was unfortunately pronounced dead at the scene. Believed to be sleeping in separate rooms when the fire started, the young souls were caught in an event too early to fathom.
An investigation into the heartrending incident is ongoing, with the Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office working to determine the fire's origin and cause. Preliminary findings suggest it may have begun on the first floor of the residence. An autopsy for Deliaha Goforth is scheduled at the Northeast Indiana Forensic Center in Fort Wayne to ascertain the precise cause and manner of death, as found in an account by WRTV.
Meanwhile, authorities are examining every angle, including the possibility of criminal activity as part of the blaze's backdrop. "Indiana State Police and the State Fire Marshal’s Office are working to determine if the fire was result of any criminal activity," according to a statement provided by FOX59.
