PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Quakertown School District is showing support to the community after an unimaginable Christmas morning tragedy — a house fire that killed a father and two of his young boys.
The investigation continues into the fire that killed 41-year-old Eric King and his sons 8-year-old Patrick and 11-year-old Liam, both Richland Elementary School students. Officials think the fire might have started with lights on a Christmas tree at the Quakertown home Saturday, however, the cause has not yet been confirmed.
Starting Monday, school district officials are cutting their holiday break short to offer a series of support services for students, parents, faculty and staff that will run into the new year when schools reopen. They are also making the community aware of local and national mental health hotlines they can call for help.
A letter went out to school district families on Christmas Day alerting them to the tragedy and to services that would be available:
"If you are in need of assistance before these local services and supports are available by our [Quakertown Community School District] team, below is contact information for county and regional organizations:
Lenape Valley Foundation Warmline (non-crisis mental health talk line)
Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
215-896-9717
NAMI Bucks County Warmline (provides free, confidential support and resources)
Daily, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
215-343-3055
Crisis Text Line: www.crisistextline.org
National Youth Crisis Hotline
24 hours
800-999-9999
Access Services Crisis support (available 24 hours a day, seven days a week)
855-634-HOPE (4365)
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The creator of a GoFundMe set up to help mother, Kristen, and her 13-year-old son Brady, an eighth-grader at Strayer Middle School, who survived the fire, says they raised more than $600,000 in about 24 hours. After several copycat fundraisers were set up, it has been removed, but the company is making sure that all of the money will go to that mother and son.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misidentified King's surviving son. The boy's name is Brady.