Who set the fire that killed this baby?

(Reprinted from the Trinidad Express)

Trinidad and Tobago: The arson attack at the home of a Palo Seco family last week is now a murder investigation. Homicide officers are now involved, because of the death of nine-month old Kyle Jacob, who along with her infant brother, was burnt in the blaze.

Baby Kyle died on Monday at around 4.15 p.m. with her mother, Malicha Thomas, at her bedside at the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital.

Hospital Medical Director Dr Anand Chatoorgoon said on Tuesday that the baby had little chance of survival.

She had been sedated and put on ventilator support since she was admitted to hospital on April 13.

“She suffered burns to 50 or 55 per cent of her body on her head, neck and limbs – more than half of the baby’s body. The mortality rate is usually high but we tried everything. From the beginning we knew the chances of survival were slim but we were hoping for the best”, said Chatoorgoon.

He said that doctors gave the baby girl “maximum supportive therapy”.

Specialists from the China Medical Team were overseeing treatment for baby Kyle, said the medical director.

Chatoorgoon said that doctors fought to save the toddler and “pulled out all the stops”.

Meanwhile baby Kyle’s brother, Keimel, remained in a stable condition at the hospital.

Keimel, four, suffered 35 per cent burns about his body.

The children suffered burns when a fire broke out in the bedroom of their house at S.T.O.L. Road.

The children’s father, Keino Jacob, was at the house next door assisting in building a dog kennel, while their mother went to have a bath.

Keino Jacob told police that at around 3 p.m. he heard screams and when he looked up he saw smoke coming from his house.

He ran to the house and saw a bedroom in which the children were on fire, and the flames had spread to the children’s clothing.

The father pulled them out of the burning room.

The small wooden house was quickly gutted. Fire officers of the Siparia Fire Station extinguished the flames.

Paramedics from Petrotrin took the children to the Siparia Health Centre, and they were later transferred to San Fernando General Hospital.

The children’s father said that weeks ago he had been threatened by someone he knew.