Jessica Tata, Houston day care owner, returns from Nigeria to face charges in fatal fire
(CBS/KHOU) HOUSTON - Jessica Tata, the owner of a Houston home day care center where a fire killed four children, was taken to the Harris County Jail early Tuesday morning after returning on a flight from Nigeria to face charges, officials said.
Tata fled to Nigeria on Feb. 26, two days after a fire at the home day care killed four children, and injured three others. She initially told investigators she was in the bathroom when the fire started in the kitchen. However, investigators said Tata had left the children alone in the house while she went shopping at Target, CBS affiliate KHOU reports.
The fire was believed to have been started by a stovetop burner that had been left on, officials said.
Tata was charged with manslaughter, reckless injury to a child, abandoning a child and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, reports the station.
Tata was arrested Saturday in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, by Interpol and U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Agents. Tata departed Lagos, Nigeria on Sunday.
A private plane carrying Tata landed at Hooks Airport in Houston early Tuesday morning. Then U.S. Marshals drove Tata to the Harris County Jail inmate processing center in downtown Houston, the station reports.Two dozen law enforcement officers surrounded the jail as three vehicles pulled up carrying Tata and the deputies, according to the station.
The 22-year-old woman held her head down as she exited an SUV with officers at her side. She offered no comment as reporters asked her if she had anything to say to the victims' families, the station reports.
After Tata is processed she is expected to be placed in a single cell for her safety at the Baker Street Jail, according to KHOU.
The U.S. Marshals Service led the search for Tata and placed her on the 15 most wanted fugitives list with a reward of up to $25,000.
"When Jessica Tata chose to flee from the consequences of her actions that left four innocent children dead, we made her capture a top priority" said Geoffrey Shank, U.S. Marshals Service Acting Assistant Director of Investigative Operations Division, to KHOU.
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February 28, 2011 - Jessica Tata flees to Nigeria after day care fire kills four, says Houston fire dept.