Oakland police offer $40,000 reward for info in suspected arson that killed father and 1-year-old daughter
Homicide investigation underway after Oakland blaze kills father and baby
Oakland police say a 37-year-old man and his baby daughter who were killed in a fire early Saturday were the victims of homicide. Authorities say the deaths and the related injuries of family members are linked to other recent crimes. KTVU's Candese Charles reports.
OAKLAND, Calif. - An Oakland little girl, about to turn 2-years-old, and her father were killed Friday night in a suspicious fire at their East Oakland home. Police are saying the fire could be linked to other recent crimes.
Oakland police say the fire department responded to a house fire in East Oakland around midnight Saturday morning.
"Unfortunately a father and a one year old little girl was trapped in the fire and they were unable to get out," said Oakland police officer Johnna Watson.
"Today is a tragic day again, in the city of Oakland," said Oakland Police Chief LeRonne L. Armstrong.
The mother of the girl and another family member were home when the fire started raging. They both suffered burns and injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital.
Police say the fire department has indication that this was no accident.
"The investigation is leaning towards possible links to arson," said Watson.
Watson says the fire is linked to other crimes. "And we’re talking about shootings, another homicide, as well as another structure fire," said Watson.
Watson was referring to a structure fire at Booker's grocery liquors that was set on Wednesday. The same location had a deadly shooting just days before, on April 10.
"This is an unacceptable rate of violence in our community. We continue to follow up on all the incidents that were spoken about today," said Armstrong.
Police say even though someone turned themselves in for the April 10 shooting, there is no one yet in custody for the two fires.
Police do believe the two separate fires that burnt down a well known East Oakland liquor store and claimed the lives of a young child and her father may be related.
Police need the public's help to bring the family justice.
"This violence related to this ongoing crimes that are happening across the city, it must stop! But we need the community’s help," said Armstrong.
The department is offering a $40,000 reward for an arrest in the double homicide of the toddler and her father.
They are the city's 43 and 44 homicide of 2021.
The names of the 37-year-old father and his 1-year-old daughter has yet to be released.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Oakland police homicide investigators.