HOUSTON – Fifteen years ago today, a fire at a home day care in Alief claimed the lives of four young children, a tragedy that continues to resonate across Houston.
On Feb. 24, 2011, Elias Castillo, 16 months; Shomari Dickerson, 3; Elizabeth Kojah, 20 months; and Kendyll Stradford, 20 months, were killed after a fire broke out inside a home day care near Crest Park Drive. Three other children were seriously injured.
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Investigators determined the fire started when a pot of grease was left heating on the stove. Court records showed the children were left alone inside the home while the caregiver, Jessica Tata, went shopping at a nearby store. Surveillance video later showed Tata inside a Target at the time the fire began.
Here are some of the images captured by Sky 2 over the scene and from the scene of the fire.
Tata reportedly fled to Nigeria in the wake of the fire but was captured after about a month, returned to the U.S. in March 2011 and has remained jailed since. She was born in the U.S. but has Nigerian citizenship.
Tata was convicted in 2012 of felony murder in the death of Elias Castillo and sentenced to 80 years in prison. She remains incarcerated and will not be eligible for parole until 2041. The remaining charges against her were dismissed so she could begin serving her sentence, though prosecutors retained the option to refile.
In the years since, KPRC 2 has continued to follow the families affected by the fire. One of the survivors, Makayla Dickerson, endured severe burns and has undergone multiple surgeries as part of her recovery. Her family has spoken publicly about the long road to healing and the importance of remembering the children who were lost.
Makayla has had 13 surgeries and will need another eight as she continues to grow. Read more of her story here.
The Alief day care fire prompted renewed scrutiny of home-based child care facilities and safety regulations in Texas. For families who lost loved ones, the anniversary remains a solemn reminder of lives cut short and the responsibility to protect children entrusted to caregivers.
If you would like to check on your local day care in Texas, go here to check the record of the facility.
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