Mom Found Guilty Of Manslaughter In Deaths Of 4 Children

FAIRFIELD (CBS13) – The mother of four children who died in an apartment fire has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment but was found not guilty of the more serious charges of second-degree murder.

Shetarra James and her sister Latisha James were arrested last year after authorities accused them of leaving four children alone in an apartment with lit candles, leading to a fire that killed 4-year-old Robert Christopher Charles, Jr.; 2-year-old Nevaeh Nunn; 2-year-old Natalie Rogers and 1-year-old Keviana Morgan.

Three of the children were still strapped into their strollers, and prosecutors said the two sisters had left the children alone for a half hour before the deadly fire broke out.

Charges against Latisha James were dropped in July, but prosecutors said they may choose to refile at a later date.

Prosecutors had sought murder charges against Shetarra, but a jury convicted her of the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.