GUILTY TX - 4 kids dead after in-home day care fire, Houston, 24 Feb 2011
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HLN & KHOU are confirming, too, that she has left the country.
http://www.khou.com/news/local/Worker-charged-in-we-117026548.html?commentPage=1
Authorities said the department has asked the U.S. Marshal's Office to intervene to have Jessica Tata extradited back to Houston.
also, ABC
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7985674
Houston Fire Department spokesperson Alicia Whitehead confirmed 22-year-old Jessica Tata, the owner of the day care where four children died, is in Nigeria. Whitehead could not say if Tata is in custody
http://www.khou.com/news/local/Worker-charged-in-we-117026548.html?commentPage=1
Authorities said the department has asked the U.S. Marshal's Office to intervene to have Jessica Tata extradited back to Houston.
also, ABC
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7985674
Houston Fire Department spokesperson Alicia Whitehead confirmed 22-year-old Jessica Tata, the owner of the day care where four children died, is in Nigeria. Whitehead could not say if Tata is in custody
She is reported to have left the country Saturday night through a flight from GA. I guess no one was watching her to make sure she stays put. Why weren't airlines notified? Like I said, this wouldn't be the first time someone flees the country if they are facing charges and potential prison time. LE had to know this was a possibility considering she is a native of Nigeria. Was anybody even concerned she might try to flee?
"A law enforcement official who did not want to be identified said Tata left the U.S. for Nigeria on a Delta flight from Atlanta on Saturday night."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7449822.html
"A law enforcement official who did not want to be identified said Tata left the U.S. for Nigeria on a Delta flight from Atlanta on Saturday night."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7449822.html
katydid23
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Why wasn't she arrested a long time ago?
First of all, it is now being reported she had a pan of OIL being heated on the stove. SHE LEFT A PAN OF OIL BURNING ON THE STOVE WHILE SHE LEFT A HOUSE FULL OF TODDLERS ALL ALONE.
This wasn't a house full of kids with one or two 8 or 9 yr olds in charge. THE OLDEST WAS THREE.
She should be arrested for manslaughter. But she won't be now. She will be hidden by friends in Nigeria I am sure.
First of all, it is now being reported she had a pan of OIL being heated on the stove. SHE LEFT A PAN OF OIL BURNING ON THE STOVE WHILE SHE LEFT A HOUSE FULL OF TODDLERS ALL ALONE.
This wasn't a house full of kids with one or two 8 or 9 yr olds in charge. THE OLDEST WAS THREE.
She should be arrested for manslaughter. But she won't be now. She will be hidden by friends in Nigeria I am sure.
Good luck getting her back here. But I guess DA's office can be happy it was investigated really well. Too bad there is no one to hold on that $500,000 bond.
"Arson investigators first brought what they thought was convincing evidence to the DA’s office on Friday morning: in-store video showing Tata at a nearby Target, shopping at the time of the Thursday fire. They also had two eyewitnesses say Tata drove up to the day care, when it was already on fire. But the DA’s office told HFD to keep investigating, said Fire Marshal Richard Galvan, who oversees HFD’s arson investigation division."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7449822.html
"Arson investigators first brought what they thought was convincing evidence to the DA’s office on Friday morning: in-store video showing Tata at a nearby Target, shopping at the time of the Thursday fire. They also had two eyewitnesses say Tata drove up to the day care, when it was already on fire. But the DA’s office told HFD to keep investigating, said Fire Marshal Richard Galvan, who oversees HFD’s arson investigation division."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7449822.html
MsFacetious
What a Kerfuffle...
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For One Mother, Fire Is Twice The Nightmare
When Tiffany Dickerson heard an alert Thursday that two children had arrived for emergency treatment at the hospital where she works, she had no idea one of them was hers.
That came later, after she called her day care operator to ask why her oldest daughter hadn't been picked up from school. The call was answered by what sounded like a firefighter, who told her he was sorry. All the toddlers at the day care had been rushed to hospitals after a fire.
Dickerson collapsed in a hospital hallway. Her co-workers at West Houston Medical Center rushed to her aid. She was hysterical.
"There was a fire," she said.
Her co-workers helped carry her to the elevator and to the emergency room, where doctors began asking her to describe her children.
When Dickerson confirmed that Makayla had curly hair, doctors said she had come to the hospital but was rushed five minutes earlier to Texas Children's Hospital. Dickerson and a supervisor got in an ambulance and rushed to the Texas Medical Center, but they had no information on Shomari.
"All I could say was, 'My son! Where's my son? I have another baby,' " Dickerson said.
Doctors had been trying to identify children sent to other hospitals from the fire, using photographs and other information. The burns experienced by some were too severe, they said. They began asking questions to help with identification.
"Was he circumcized?" they asked.
"Why are you asking me if he was circumcized? You can't recognize him?" she said.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl...chronicle/metro+(chron.com+-+Houston+&+Texas)
"How in the hell did they let this happen?" asked a furious Tracy Storms, grandmother of 3-year-old Shomari Leon Dickerson, who died in the fire. "She killed four children. That was enough to keep her in custody. She was negligent for seven children and she killed four. This is ridiculous."
But the DAs office told HFD to keep investigating, said Fire Marshal Richard Galvan, who oversees HFDs arson investigation division.
Arson investigators returned Friday afternoon, Saturday and then on Sunday, when charges were finally filed by the DAs office. By that time, Tata was gone.
"This is the first time Ive experienced the hoops I had to go through with the DA," said Galvan.
Jordan J. Paust, a University of Houston Law Center professor, said the U.S. and Nigeria have an extradition treaty. It was unclear Monday night how that treaty may apply in Tatas case.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7449822.html
When Tiffany Dickerson heard an alert Thursday that two children had arrived for emergency treatment at the hospital where she works, she had no idea one of them was hers.
That came later, after she called her day care operator to ask why her oldest daughter hadn't been picked up from school. The call was answered by what sounded like a firefighter, who told her he was sorry. All the toddlers at the day care had been rushed to hospitals after a fire.
Dickerson collapsed in a hospital hallway. Her co-workers at West Houston Medical Center rushed to her aid. She was hysterical.
"There was a fire," she said.
Her co-workers helped carry her to the elevator and to the emergency room, where doctors began asking her to describe her children.
When Dickerson confirmed that Makayla had curly hair, doctors said she had come to the hospital but was rushed five minutes earlier to Texas Children's Hospital. Dickerson and a supervisor got in an ambulance and rushed to the Texas Medical Center, but they had no information on Shomari.
"All I could say was, 'My son! Where's my son? I have another baby,' " Dickerson said.
Doctors had been trying to identify children sent to other hospitals from the fire, using photographs and other information. The burns experienced by some were too severe, they said. They began asking questions to help with identification.
"Was he circumcized?" they asked.
"Why are you asking me if he was circumcized? You can't recognize him?" she said.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl...chronicle/metro+(chron.com+-+Houston+&+Texas)
"How in the hell did they let this happen?" asked a furious Tracy Storms, grandmother of 3-year-old Shomari Leon Dickerson, who died in the fire. "She killed four children. That was enough to keep her in custody. She was negligent for seven children and she killed four. This is ridiculous."
But the DAs office told HFD to keep investigating, said Fire Marshal Richard Galvan, who oversees HFDs arson investigation division.
Arson investigators returned Friday afternoon, Saturday and then on Sunday, when charges were finally filed by the DAs office. By that time, Tata was gone.
"This is the first time Ive experienced the hoops I had to go through with the DA," said Galvan.
Jordan J. Paust, a University of Houston Law Center professor, said the U.S. and Nigeria have an extradition treaty. It was unclear Monday night how that treaty may apply in Tatas case.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7449822.html
""Investigator Ruben Hernandez called the DA's office," Galvan said. As a Houston police sergeant listened, Hernandez informed an assistant district attorney that a Crime Stopper's tip indicated Tata was preparing to flee the country and that she was a flight risk."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7450717.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7450717.html
sleuthin4fun
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Ok! there is something that really bothers me. I read somewhere else that this women also tried to set her high school on fire a few years ago because she didn't want to take and exam. Was she just tired of watching these children? One has to wonder!!!
burbqueen
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this shakes me to my core. I have been out looking for a daycare for my son. he was being watched by a friend of mine, but thats a long story. Lets just say she wasnt up to the job. Texas law states that no more than 4 kids per every care giver if they are under a certain age. I think its under 3 or 4. This is why parents have to ask questions and look online. There is a website here in texas where you can find out info on licensed care givers. I wonder is she was even registered or licensed?
She should be in jail for life.
She should be in jail for life.
This is very interesting to hear from members of JT's native country, some living in the US about JT fleeing the country.
http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-614053.0.html
http://www.elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1
http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-614053.0.html
http://www.elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1
MsFacetious
What a Kerfuffle...
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Dickerson, 24, had just moved to Houston from Pearland and needed a new day care provider for her three children. She found that Tata was listed on a government website of qualified providers. A subsequent visit to Tata's day care went well, Dickerson said.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl...chronicle/metro+(chron.com+-+Houston+&+Texas)
The state's childcare licensing records show that although she had to add fire extinguishers to the home before getting her license, there were no complaints since the place opened in 2010.
"This home was licensed in March of 2010. Since then we cannot find one record of any concerns regarding this home. If there are no concerns, we only visit every two years," said Carter.
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7980199
MsFacetious
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Kendyll - 20 months - Died in the fire
Elias - 18 months - Died 48 hours after the fire
Elizabeth - 20 months - Died in the fire
Shomari - 3 years - Died in the fire
Shomari's sister, Makayla - 2 years - Still critical
Interview with Shomari and Makayla's Mom - http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl...chronicle/metro+(chron.com+-+Houston+&+Texas)
Elias - 18 months - Died 48 hours after the fire
Elizabeth - 20 months - Died in the fire
Shomari - 3 years - Died in the fire
Shomari's sister, Makayla - 2 years - Still critical
Interview with Shomari and Makayla's Mom - http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl...chronicle/metro+(chron.com+-+Houston+&+Texas)
Texas Mist
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New charges against day care owner
Updated at 05:18 PM today
<snips>
On Tuesday afternoon nine more charges were expected to be filed.
Tata will face seven counts of reckless injury to a child, a second degree felony, and three additional charges of child endangerment.
.............
There is a lot of finger pointing going on over how Tata was able to evade arrest. On Tuesday afternoon, Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos addressed the situation.
She said, "Suggestions that anyone in the district attorney's office unreasonably delayed the filing of criminal charges against Miss Tata, or that she could have been arrested and held in custody during the pendency of this investigation -- these allegations are outrageous."
much more here
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7988380
Updated at 05:18 PM today
<snips>
On Tuesday afternoon nine more charges were expected to be filed.
Tata will face seven counts of reckless injury to a child, a second degree felony, and three additional charges of child endangerment.
.............
There is a lot of finger pointing going on over how Tata was able to evade arrest. On Tuesday afternoon, Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos addressed the situation.
She said, "Suggestions that anyone in the district attorney's office unreasonably delayed the filing of criminal charges against Miss Tata, or that she could have been arrested and held in custody during the pendency of this investigation -- these allegations are outrageous."
much more here
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7988380
So did DA office "reasonably" delay the filing of charges against her? What difference does it make how many more charges they file now, considering she is gone?
LE had a tip she was going to flee, and it appears nothing was done to stop her from fleeing since she managed to flee.
Former classmates: Jessica Tata was accused of arson fires in high school.
Article here:
http://www.khou.com/news/cnn/Former...-of-arson-fires-in-high-school-117202603.html
Article here:
http://www.khou.com/news/cnn/Former...-of-arson-fires-in-high-school-117202603.html
less0305
The face is familiar, but I can't quite remember m
This completely has nothing to do with anything, but how does a 22 or 23 year old afford to own a house like this in Atlanta? Not that it matters, but I'm dumbfounded in a way by that alone.
Houston, not Atlanta. Also as far as I understand it she might have been renting this house.
Houston Homer
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Texas Mist
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khou.com
Posted on March 1, 2011 at 6:52 PM
<snip>
When the first 911 call came in around 1:30 p.m., prosecutors say Tata had been gone from the home daycare for at least 20 minutes.
When she returned to the home with the fire already in progress, a witness reported her as saying “Oh no, I was the only one there today.”
When the witness told Tata everything was going to be OK, she said “Oh no, the fire was going for a long time.”
The District Attorney also issued a warning about the victim fund established by the Tata family. Ronald Houston Tata, the brother of Jessica Tata, filed documents Monday to establish a business called “Houston Benefit of Day Care Victims.
more here
http://www.khou.com/news/local/New-Charges-to-be-Filed-Against-Daycare-Fire-Fugitive-117205583.html
Posted on March 1, 2011 at 6:52 PM
<snip>
When the first 911 call came in around 1:30 p.m., prosecutors say Tata had been gone from the home daycare for at least 20 minutes.
When she returned to the home with the fire already in progress, a witness reported her as saying “Oh no, I was the only one there today.”
When the witness told Tata everything was going to be OK, she said “Oh no, the fire was going for a long time.”
The District Attorney also issued a warning about the victim fund established by the Tata family. Ronald Houston Tata, the brother of Jessica Tata, filed documents Monday to establish a business called “Houston Benefit of Day Care Victims.
more here
http://www.khou.com/news/local/New-Charges-to-be-Filed-Against-Daycare-Fire-Fugitive-117205583.html