Update: Uncle used gasoline to set children, mother on fire, killing them, Fresno police say
The Fresno County Coroner’s Office named the two babies tragically killed in a fire that police have said was started by an arsonist, who used gasoline to burn the children and their mother.
The young children were 5-month-old boy Calyx Hurtado and 18-month-old girl Cataleya Hurtado, according to investigators. Their 32-year-old mother was also badly burned, police say.
Officers arrested Filimon “Robert” Hurtado, a 29-year-old uncle of the children, for starting the fire that was reported about 6:40 a.m. Tuesday in a home on Robinson Avenue, near Dakota and Brawley avenues, according to police.
He is the brother of the children’s father, who had left for work before the attack, police said.
Officers said the man admitted to wanting to kill the family, but did not have any reason for the crime. There was no fight or other inciting incident as far as police can tell so far, Lt. Paul Cervantes said.
“There really is no rhyme or reason for him to do something in such a horrendous manner, (and) didn’t provide an explanation for us,” he said.
He set all of them on fire in a single room of the home, Cervantes said.
He had serious burns and was taken to an area hospital, police said.
He will be arrested upon release on suspicion of two counts of murder, along with felony arson, police said. He was living at the residence.
The two children died in the home before fire crews arrived.
Their mother escaped — fully engulfed in flames — and ran to a neighbor’s for help. She had to roll around to put out the flames, police said.
.jpg "Image from iOS (52).jpg")
This story was originally published May 4, 2022 at 12:20 PM.
