3rd victim, 2-year-old child, dies of her injuries in Richmond arson

A 2-year-old girl who was critically injured in a house fire that police say was intentionally set by a relative has died of her injuries at the hospital, the third family member to die in the incident.

A spokesperson with the Richmond Police Department announced the child's death on Thursday morning. A 33-year-old woman remained in critical condition Thursday, spokesperson Lt. Joe England said.

Police said the fire at a home on 15th Street east of the Richmond City Center was intentionally set, and immediately followed another house fire two doors away on the same block that was unrelated to the arson. 

Suspect Sergio Rivera Vega, 32, was arrested at the scene of the second fire on charges of murder and arson causing great bodily injury. Police said he was a resident of the home where the second fire was set, which also killed Rivera Vega's 47-year-old father and his 5-year-old nephew. The 2-year-old who died was his niece, and the other woman critically hurt is the children's mother and Rivera Vega's sister, police said.  

England said the department has had previous interactions with Rivera Vega.

"When this mother comes to, she's gonna come to the realization that she has no kids anymore," England told reporters on Thursday. "A 2-year-old and a 5-year-old should be waking up today and playing with toys. They should be going out playing with their friends. But they're dead. And they're dead because of an evil person."

England said the officers who responded to Tuesday night's incident were being offered counseling and therapy.

On Thursday, other relatives brought a moving van to the home to haul away whatever could be salvaged from the fire. Police said detectives were talking with other family members to try and figure out what happened before the fire.

"So as of right now our detective unit is in the process of interviewing quite a few more people," England said. "Our number one focus here is to bring justice to this family."