Richmond house fire: Man charged with murder of father, young children
2nd child dies in Richmond house fire allegedly set by relative
Two children, a 2-year-old girl and her 5-year-old brother have now died in a Richmond house fire police say was intentionally set by their uncle. Family tells KTVU the boy's mother and the suspect's father also died.
RICHMOND, Calif. - A Richmond man faces murder charges after deliberately setting a fire that killed his father, niece, and nephew, authorities said.
Murder charges
What we know:
Sergio Ivan Rivera-Vega, 32, faces three counts of murder with special enhancements, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office. The victims who died in the blaze were his father, 47-year-old Jose Rivera, his 5-year-old grandson, Andrew, and 2-year-old granddaughter, Joline. The young children are the suspect's niece and nephew.
"This fire is devastating for the entire family," said District Attorney Diana Becton. "Knowing the suspect is related to the victims -- including two children -- makes this loss even harder to comprehend this senseless act."
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Authorities said the children's mother, who is Rivera-Vega's 33-year-old sister, remains hospitalized with serious injuries. However, family members said that she died from her injuries. Officials have not confirmed her death, and the discrepancy was not immediately explained.
Authorities believe Rivera-Vega intentionally set the fire.
Man held in Richmond house fire that killed his father and nephew, 5
A suspect has been arrested for allegedly setting a house fire that killed his father and his 5-year-old nephew. The suspect's sister and 2-year-old niece were critically injured in the blaze, which police say had no connection to a fire two doors down.
Suspect faced mental health challenges, family says
What they're saying:
Anselmo Rivera, the brother of the oldest victim, said Rivera-Vega is his nephew and suffers from mental health issues. According to Anselmo, Rivera-Vega had made verbal threats against the family last month.
"My brother was special... a very nice person," Anselmo said. "Anybody who come and asks him for something, he always says yes. I miss him. I feel very bad for him."
He added that his brother worked hard in construction to support his family.
Investigators are still working to determine the motive for the fire.
The Source: This story was written based on information from the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office and previous reporting.