Mom, daughter killed in Chicago house fire family says was set intentionally
Ieshia Ford and her daughter, Porsche were found in the burning home where they succumbed to smoke inhalation
A family hopes the truth can be revealed after a tragic house fire took the lives of two of their loved ones. A mother and daughter died in a fire that has been ruled as arson.
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According to CBS Chicago, 32-year-old Ieashia Ford and her 10-year-old daughter Porsche were killed in the fire that happened on early Sunday in the city’s Gresham neighborhood.
Four other people were hospitalized with injuries caused by the traumatic event. At the time, the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s office and the Chicago Police were on the scene to look for signs of arson, using canine units trained to sniff out accelerants.
Ford is survived by one other daughter, two sons and a grandchild. The family opened up despite their grief to the news outlet.
“They was joy. They was joyful,” said relative Felicia White to CBS Chicago. “You know what I’m saying?”
She continued, “This is just a sad tragic loss for our family.”
CBS Chicago reported Porsche, just weeks away from her 11th birthday, was excited to return to school in-person after the coronavirus pandemic shifted her classroom to virtual learning. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the medical examiner’s office listed Porsche’s age as 15 although neighbors and family said she was only 10.
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The deadly fire was ruled as arson by officials and the deaths were declared as homicides. According to social media postings, family members believe they know the man responsible.
Per ABC 7, the surveillance camera video is being reviewed by Chicago police from the time of the fire. White informed the news outlet that relatives not only have an idea of the person responsible, they also speculate how. The person was not named in the report, however, White claimed to have witnessed the man at the alleged crime scene.
“He was in the gangway with all black, and he had a black plastic bag,” White said. She shared her belief the accused person used a Molotov cocktail to set the house on fire. “They have voicemails and texts saying that he was outside of the house, and he was going to blow her house up,”
According to the Chicago Sun Times, the crime of arson grew in the Windy City during the year 2020. During the summer protests against police brutality, fires were set, but even after the uprisings, most arsons were linked to gangs.
When there were no riots or protests, the South Side and West Side were the hardest hit by arson. The outlet reported the number of fires authorities listed as suspicious was up nearly 65% compared to 2019. Most of the arson incidents did not result in an arrest.
The family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for funeral and burial expenses. So far, they have earned almost $500 of their $15K goal.
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