Police say the case of three kids found dead in a burning house in New Orleans "has been ruled a homicide."
An NOPD news release says, "The mother of the three children called 911 stating that their father intended to burn the house down... the mother was reportedly on her way to the residence and not there when the fire started."
Cops and firefighters were called to the burning home around midnight.
"The New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) responded to a fire at a single-family dwelling in the 4900 block of America St. that tragically took the lives of three juveniles," Captain Edwin Holmes said in a news release.
"Upon arrival, firefighters were told that three children were unaccounted for and possibly still inside. Fire personnel quickly began an interior attack of the fire while simultaneously conducting a primary search of the dwelling. Two unresponsive juveniles were quickly found upon entry to the home, one in the front room just a few feet from the front door and the other not far away, between the kitchen and front room. Firefighters made attempts to resuscitate both kids prior to both being transported to an area hospital by New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (NOEMS). Both children succumbed to injuries sustained from this incident."
Holmes says they discovered another child a short time later.
"Firefighters continued to search for the possible third victim during the course of fire suppression operations. The third child, a toddler, was found near the center of the dwelling. It was determined that the child had succumbed to injuries sustained on the scene."
It took 46 fire department personnel to put out the blaze.
It was under control at 12:40am.
"The cause of the fire is currently under investigation."
Surveillance video shows a man walking out of the house as the flames erupt in the back of the home. He gets into a car and drives away as the fire engulfs the home.
Police say the victims are a three-year-old boy, five-year-old girl and eight-year-old boy.
