Father Of Girls Killed In 2011 Christmas Day Fire Dies; Charity Says
A charity started by a man whose three daughters were killed in a Connecticut fire on Christmas morning in 2011 says he has died at the age of 51.
Watch CBS News
A charity started by a man whose three daughters were killed in a Connecticut fire on Christmas morning in 2011 says he has died at the age of 51.
Michael Borcina's lawyer said Thursday that Borcina will cooperate in the lawsuit filed by the children's father, Matthew Badger.
On Christmas Day in 2011, fire ravaged Madonna Badger's home in Stamford, Connecticut. Her three little girls -- 9-year-old Lily, and 7-year-old twins Sarah and Grace -- became trapped and died. Her parents also died in the inferno.
The fire in Stamford killed 7-year-old twins Grace and Sarah Badger, 9-year-old Lily Badger, and their maternal grandparents, Lomer and Pauline Johnson.
Clutching a bouquet of white flowers, smiling from ear to ear, Badger proves life can go on, even after enduring the unimaginable.
In a Vogue magazine article, Madonna Badger details how she continues to cope with the loss of her 7-year-old twins Grace and Sarah, 9-year-old Lily and her parents.
The city of Stamford has since passed a law requiring working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for every home in the city.
Badger said that the bag of ashes didn't seem dangerous because her boyfriend, Michael Borcina, ran his hands over them before putting them on top of a plastic bin in a mudroom.
In the report that was released Friday online, Stamford State's Attorney David Cohen called the blaze "an inexplicable accident."
The mother of the three children killed in a Christmas morning fire has filed a notice of intent to sue the city of Stamford, WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau reported. Her parents were also killed in the fire.
Utica First Insurance Co. argues in a lawsuit filed this week in New York that Michael Borcina misrepresented the number of employees with his company, Tiberias Construction, its sales and payroll, and size and type of work performed.
It's difficult for Matthew Badger to deal with the loss of his three darling daughters, but he's turning his heartbreak into hope by helping other young children.
Three sisters and their grandparents died in the fire. The girls' mother, Madonna Badger and her boyfriend Michael Borcina, survived. Investigators determined the fire was started by improperly discarded fireplace embers.
In January, officials in Connecticut were scrutinizing the circumstances of the blaze, trying to determine if it was just a horrible accident or a crime.
Was it just a horrible accident, or a crime? That's what police and prosecutors were trying to figure out Friday in Connecticut as they began putting the horrendous Christmas Day fire under a legal microscope.
As Stamford police investigate, they're trying to answer a key question: were battery-operated smoke alarms and several fire extinguishers removed from the home sometime before the fire?
Michael Borcina and homeowner Madonna Badger were the only survivors of the blaze.
Police and fire officials say they agreed to give Madonna Badger and Michael Borcina time to mourn the loss of Badger's daughters and parents. Police Capt. Richard Conklin says, "But now we're moving ahead on that.''
Lomer and Pauline Johnson are being honored at a memorial service in Louisville, Kentucky. Lomer worked there as a safety chief for a liquor company until he retired.
Madonna and Matthew Badger, the girls' father, held hands and cried as they watched the caskets carrying the remains of their three daughters get carried into St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Manhattan.
Madonna Badger, who lost her three daughters and both parents in the Christmas morning fire in Stamford, Conn., attended Wednesday's wake, along with the girls' father and the only other survivor of the tragedy, Badger's contractor.
Badger's parents Lomer and Pauline Johnson and daughters Lily, Grace and Sarah were all killed in a Christmas Day blaze.
Madonna Badger's three daughters and their grandparents all died in a Christmas Day blaze at her Stamford home, which was being renovated.
The family of the victims who died in the tragic Christmas day fire in Stamford are reaching out to the countless strangers who have been sending their condolences.
This morning the medical examiner's office released an autopsy report on the victims -- whose deaths were ruled accidental.
New Yorkers may be able to see the blood moon during the partial lunar eclipse Thursday, but they're going to have to stay up late, and clouds could impact it.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is accused of developing and directing the plot to crash hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
Severe weather warnings have started popping up as strong storms make their way through New York City and most of the Tri-State Area.
A fire started in the basement of a South Ozone Park home before spreading early Thursday, according to the FDNY.
More than 1,000 people, including many Americans, are still missing along the Nepal-China border after deadly floods and mudflows likely triggered by a glacial collapse.
New Yorkers may be able to see the blood moon during the partial lunar eclipse Thursday, but they're going to have to stay up late, and clouds could impact it.
Severe weather warnings have started popping up as strong storms make their way through New York City and most of the Tri-State Area.
A fire started in the basement of a South Ozone Park home before spreading early Thursday, according to the FDNY.
A Brooklyn community came together Wednesday night to demand justice as police continue to investigate the shooting death of a food delivery worker.
A potential fraud is targeting Holocaust survivors and their families in New York, offering to help them file claims for assets taken during Nazi persecution.
Severe weather warnings have started popping up as strong storms make their way through New York City and most of the Tri-State Area.
A nice stretch of weather kicks off the week in the New York City area before a heightened chance of rain returns.
Along with the increasingly humid conditions comes another chance of showers and storms overnight Saturday into Sunday.
Rainy weather returns to the New York City area Sunday, bringing with it the threat of flooding.
Bayonne, New Jersey, is heading to the Little League World Series after beating Darien, Connecticut, in the Metro Region Tournament on Friday.
Severe weather warnings have started popping up as strong storms make their way through New York City and most of the Tri-State Area.
A man is dead after a shootout with police in Newport, Rhode Island, that also left an officer injured.
A dean at Rutgers University was arrested for allegedly recording inappropriate videos while working for the school, according to New Jersey prosecutors.
A 9/11 memorial in Jersey City that's in need of repairs and maintenance is getting help from actor Gary Sinise's foundation.
Bayonne, New Jersey, is out of the Little League World Series after losing to Hamilton, Ohio, on Tuesday night.
Severe weather warnings have started popping up as strong storms make their way through New York City and most of the Tri-State Area.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman says he will comply with New York's new law restricting police cooperation with ICE, but first, he blasted the governor. CBS News New York's Carolyn Gusoff reports.
Huntington native Jack Kennedy, 18, is making his Grand Slam debut in the U.S. Open this year.
Officers on Long Island deployed a drone to find the suspect after he robbed a home and ran away.
Fifteen sheriffs across New York are asking a judge to block a new law preventing local law enforcement agencies from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is backtracking again on the controversial rollout of his pied-à-terre tax.
The surge in arrests comes as the White House pushes ICE to hit a target of 2,000 per day.
Fifteen sheriffs across New York are asking a judge to block a new law preventing local law enforcement agencies from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The Trump administration said it may need to demolish the Kennedy Center if a plan to close the building for two years as part of a controversial renovation project pushed by President Trump and the organization's board is blocked.
State officials sent letters to agencies across New York instructing them to unwind agreements with ICE by Tuesday.
Pennsylvania has recorded its first two deaths connected to measles in 35 years.
This year, ER visits for tick bites have increased dramatically, corresponding with a new threat: a rise in Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), where one bite from a lone star tick can make you violently allergic to red meat. How can you best avoid tick bites?
A New Yorker has tested positive for West Nile virus, the city health department announced Wednesday.
Researchers say an alarming study on cognitive decline is specific to the African American community in Newark, New Jersey.
Moderna and Merck announced study results that reflect a "landmark moment" in treatment for one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer.
Tim Curry was known for his iconic performances in cult classics like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and the original screen adaptation of Stephen King's "It."
President Trump said that he would be "lowering the American flag" throughout the nation for one week in Dolly Parton's honor.
NYC's Empire State Building paid tribute to music legend Dolly Parton Tuesday night. Parton, 80, died Tuesday in Nashville, her family announced.
Dolly Parton became an icon over her six-decade career as a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, movie and TV star and theme park owner who donated millions to help others.
The AMC Kips Bay 15 on Second Avenue has been open since 1999 but will shut down at the end of 2026, according to a spokesperson.
The Brewers beat the Mets 8-1 on Wednesday night, overcoming an injury to starter Dustin May after one pitch.
The New York Yankees pulled away for a 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.
Huntington native Jack Kennedy, 18, is making his Grand Slam debut in the U.S. Open this year.
Francisco Lindor scored the winning run on a throwing error in the 10th to lead the Mets past the Brewers 3-2 on Tuesday night.
The Houston Astros beat the New York Yankees 9-7 on Tuesday night.
The DSNY reported an increase in needle stick injuries for New York City sanitation workers.
A Queens homeowner says that overgrown city trees on her block are creating a safety hazard at night.
Neighbors say Flushing Meadows Corona Park has been falling into disrepair for years.
The owner of a beloved Harlem food truck known for its burgers under $5 is retiring and selling the business.
The historic Art Deco bathhouse at Jacob Riis Park is getting a new life as the Rockaway Ocean Club. But as the long-dormant building reopens, some locals are questioning who will have access to its amenities.
People dressed in elaborate headgear and paraded up Fifth Avenue for New York City's Easter Sunday tradition.
The Halloween tradition strolled through Manhattan's East Village on Sunday, with furry friends dressed in colorful costumes.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
The annual Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival was held in Manhattan on April 20, 2025.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
The head of Nepal's tourism board told CBS News Thursday that 65 U.S. nationals were among those missing in the wake of the disaster. CBS News' Tina Kraus reports.
A fire started in the basement of a South Ozone Park home before spreading to neighboring houses. CBS News New York's Elijah Westbrook reports.
The renovation project will include a restored orchestra pit, additional bathrooms and ADA-accessible concessions.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said 56 summonses were issued during the course of 62 inspections.
Opponents are worried about losing local control of Maimonides if it is brought into the city's public hospital system.