Ohio Man Plans Burial for 2 of His Grandkids after Their Family Lost Everything in a House Fire

When an Ohio mother thought her life was going in the right direction, things took a turn for the worse after her house caught fire. She spent the next few days in the hospital while her four children fought for their lives.

Sometimes, fate tests us by putting us in situations we aren't prepared for. The trials might come in the form of a financial crisis, a health problem, or the death of a loved one.

The family in today's story spent days praying for four children who were struggling for their lives in the hospital. The kids were stuck in a difficult situation before firefighters rescued them. What happened next was something the family had never expected.

Thick Black Smoke

Dadrickrica Ellison's worst nightmare began on September 17, 2022, when his daughter's apartment in West Chester, Ohio, caught fire. What drew the neighbors' attention to the apartment was thick black smoke rising from the windows.

In no time, firefighters arrived at the apartment, but no one was sure about the number of people trapped inside. At around 12:20 p.m., the firefighters began extinguishing the fire to rescue the residents. A neighbor recalled:

"It was so scary that I was crying. I was afraid that my house was going to burn down."

The Children

A few minutes later, the firefighters emerged from the apartment with three children aged six, four, two, and nine months old. They immediately moved the victims to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, while their mother cried after seeing her kids.

A neighbor's child, who wished to remain anonymous, reported having nightmares after the incident.

The doctors immediately began treating all four children while their mother prayed with her father, Ellison, in the hospital's waiting area. This was a tragedy the family didn't see coming.

Inside the Hospital

While the mother prayed for her four kids, the authorities investigated the cause of the fire. Per the State Fire Marshal's Office, the cause remains unknown, but they learned that the children were not in the same room where the fire started.

The doctors told Ellison and his daughter that the children were not in good condition because they had inhaled a lot of smoke. Two days later, the family's life turned upside down when the doctor told them the bad news.

Two-year-old Alaiya Encarnacion and four-year-old Bryson Brooks succumbed to their injuries on September 20. The doctors tried their best, but there was nothing they could do after the kids closed their eyes forever.

The Devastated Family

Ellison and his daughter were devastated after learning about the two deaths. While Ellison tried to control his emotions, his daughter was shocked. Ellison said:

"She trembles when she speaks. This is the first time I've ever seen my daughter not eat."

"I'm the male figure in my family," Ellison said while explaining that he had to be strong for the sake of his family. He felt his "family could break or collapse" if he broke down.

Losing Everything

Since the family had lost everything in the fire, Ellison created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his grandchildren's funeral and medical expenses. He said:

"[My daughter] just moved back to the city, establishing her life, getting her life back on track. This [incident] was out of nowhere."

Meanwhile, the oldest child, Brayden, was released from the hospital, while the youngest one, Aaliyah, was still in critical condition. The horrifying incident left the family heartbroken.

The Horrifying Incident

Per the neighbors, Ellison's daughter was not at home and arrived at her apartment after it caught fire. The authorities also confirmed no adult was in the house that afternoon. West Chester Fire Chief Rick Prinz said:

"Paramedics and firefighters did everything they could do to give these children a fighting chance."

A neighbor's child, who wished to remain anonymous, reported having nightmares after the incident. It was hard for the boy to forget what he had witnessed that afternoon, but he kept praying for the family.

The Comments

While the children's family, friends, and neighbors were horrified after learning about the deadly fire, netizens shared supportive messages. Here are some of the comments from WSAZ NewsChannel3's Facebook post:

"They were just babies!!! So so sad."

― (@Brenda Parsons) September 21, 2022

"OMG, this is so sad. Prayers for the other two."

― (@Cindy Cooper) September 22, 2022

"Prayers are going up for the family."

― (@Greg Parker) September 22, 2022

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of these four children. We extend our deepest condolences to the family while they deal with the pain of this tragedy.

Click here to read another heartbreaking story about a mother and three children who died overnight in a deadly house fire.