'His mother is devastated': Family hurting after child killed in Christmas Eve fire

HOUSTON – He was 10 and the eldest of four siblings.

According to family members, anyone who got the chance to meet Angel Molina would leave with a smile.

"He was just a sweet kid," Milton Contreras said.

Contreras is Angel's uncle.

"He liked to play around for a smile. We had him over here a bunch of times," Contreras said.

Angel was a happy kid, according to Contreras. His family is hurting while spending this holiday season without him.

"It was really devastating news. It was really hard news for us," Contreras said.

Angel died Monday in a fire that left about 20 families homeless, according to officials.  Houston firefighters responded to the fire Monday morning at an apartment building in the 7000 block of South Gessner Road at Neff Street.

"It's painful. That's the only thing I can say. It's horrible, you know, to go through this," Contreras said.

Angel was home with his father and three younger siblings when the fire started in another apartment unit. The fire spread quickly.

Firefighters said Angel's dad, Pedro Guerra, rushed to grab his children in the fire. He started throwing the children out of a window on the second floor.

A man waiting on the ground caught three, but Angel was upstairs on the third floor.

"He was trying to get Angel out. He got the rest of the kids out, but when he tried to get Angel, the fire was really bad in there," Contreras said.

Angel's family now has to bury him and needs money for the services. They started a GoFundMe page to help with expenses.

His family is now spending Christmas in grief.

"His mother is devastated, and as a family, it's so horrible to go through this. It's just so difficult," Contreras said.

Guerra was burned in the fire and treated at the hospital. He was released Monday night, according to family members.