Craig Woman Pleads Guilty To Starting 2018 Fatal Fire

CRAIG, Colo. (CBS4) - A Craig mother has pleaded guilty in connection to a 2018 house fire that killed a 3-year-old boy. Lane Cullen died in the fire.

26-year-old Vanessa Jenkins pleaded guilty to Negligent Child Abuse Resulting in Death. The Craig Police Department said last year that Cullen and his mother were the only people at home at the time of the fire.

Vanessa Jenkins (credit: Craig Police Department)

Two Craig PD officers were immediately on scene, Craig Police Captain Bill Leonard said, and tried to enter the burning building. They first tried going in through the front door and then resorted to breaking the window where the child was thought to be.

(credit: Doug Slaight for Craig Daily Press)

"The photos show how engulfed that house was," Leonard said. "I had two officers on scene within a minute. They made several efforts to get inside the room where the child was and suffered injuries themselves trying."

Jenkins will be sentenced in February.