Erie, Pennsylvania — A heartbreaking tragedy in Erie, Pennsylvania, has left an entire community mourning after three young siblings died in a devastating house fire, while investigators allege their mother had left them home alone before the blaze erupted.
Authorities have now charged the children’s mother, Danozjna Shalita Marjie Williams, weeks after the fatal March 29 fire that claimed the lives of all three children.
Firefighters Faced Blocked Entrance During Rescue
According to investigators, emergency crews responding to the fire encountered major obstacles while trying to reach the trapped children inside the apartment.
Court documents obtained by Erie News Now reportedly revealed that a mattress blocked the stairwell, while a couch obstructed the doorway at the top of the stairs, making rescue efforts far more difficult.
Firefighters were ultimately forced to enter the apartment through an alternate entrance in order to reach the children.
Despite their efforts, the injuries proved fatal.
Two of the children died shortly after the fire, while the third child later succumbed to injuries days afterward.
Victims Identified as Three Young Siblings
The victims were later identified in online obituaries as:
- 5-year-old Tobias Ya’Shan Lee Huff
- 3-year-old Da’Liyla Lelona Huff
- 5-month-old Amirah Al-Mansouri
According to authorities, Tobias and Da’Liyla died the same day as the fire, while baby Amirah passed away on April 3.
The tragic deaths have shaken the Erie community, especially as loved ones remembered the children for their personalities, energy, and love for family.
“Tobias was a very helpful, crazy, funny 5-year-old. He loved being a big brother. He always wanted to make somebody feel loved by doing anything to make them smile,” part of his obituary read.
Da’Liyla’s obituary described her as a child who always expressed herself openly.
“She also loved to dance. Da’Liyla would call everyone her ‘best friend,’ and to her, everyone was her best friend.”
The youngest victim, Amirah, was remembered for her joyful personality despite being only a few months old.
“Amirah was just born but had so much joy to bring. She was always happy and smiling, there was never a time she wasn’t.”
Investigators Allege Mother Left Children Alone
Authorities allege Williams left the children unsupervised while she was away for nearly an hour to allegedly “facilitate a drug transaction.”
She has not been charged with drug-related crimes in this case, but investigators claim she initially provided false information regarding her whereabouts during the time of the fire.
Williams allegedly told investigators she had only been gone for around five minutes to visit Walmart. However, surveillance footage reportedly showed she was away for approximately 50 minutes.
Court documents also reportedly included alleged phone conversations between Williams and Tyler Huff, the father of two of the children, who was incarcerated at the time.
In one alleged call, Williams reportedly asked Huff if he would go to Corry for “300,” while another call allegedly captured her saying she was “heading out to Corry.”
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Investigators later claimed a witness told police Williams intended to purchase heroin, fentanyl, or both.
Charges Filed as Investigation Continues
Authorities have not yet determined the official cause of the fire.
However, Williams now faces multiple serious charges, including:
- Third-degree murder
- Endangering the welfare of children
- Aggravated assault
- Recklessly endangering another person
According to prosecutors, she has been denied bail.
Online court records reportedly do not yet show plea information, and it remains unclear whether she has retained an attorney.
The heartbreaking case continues to draw attention as investigators work to determine exactly what happened inside the apartment that night.
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