Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A Buffalo man has been charged with killing his girlfriend inside their Norwood Avenue apartment Saturday morning. Investigators say while the woman's body was found after the fire, the flames didn't cause her death.
It is alleged that this past Saturday at approximately 8:35 a.m., the Buffalo Fire Department responded to a fire in the first-floor apartment of a multi-family residence on the 400 block of Norwood Avenue.
The victims, a 29-year-old female identified as Katie Carrig and her newborn baby boy Noah Carrig, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The defendant, 30-year-old Kidane Haile, was taken by ambulance to Erie County Medical Center, where he was hospitalized for several days to receive treatment for smoke inhalation.
Haile is accused of intentionally causing the death of Carrig inside of their shared apartment. The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the manner of death was homicide caused by asphyxia due to strangulation.
However, the cause of death of their 4-day-old infant son remains under investigation at this time.
Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon was shaken as he made the announcement Thursday.
"I do not know Katie or Noah, but I can tell you that mine and my family's connection to the Carrig family dates back prior to my birth. And if my personal experience with the Carrig family is any indication of the type of person that Katie Carrig is, I know that this community has lost one heck of a person," Scanlon said on Thursday.
Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane says Carrig's boyfriend was also found in the bedroom.
"He was apparently injured, and he was taken from that home to ECMC, where he has been since Saturday morning until late yesterday, when he was discharged," said Keane.
Keane anticipates the evidence is going to show he intentionally started the fire with gasoline.
Haile is being held without bail. If he is convicted of his second degree murder charge, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years-to-life in prison.
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