Fire Set Intentionally Claims Lives of Pregnant Mother and Two Children as Grandma Jumps Out Window with Baby ‘in Her Arms’

The early-morning blaze on Friday tore through a two-story home in the city’s Strawberry Mansion neighborhood, leaving neighbors and family members stunned by the speed and devastation of the flames.

The victims have been identified as 33-year-old Ashley Thompson, her 6-year-old daughter Alayna, and her 6-year-old son Asad. Thompson, who was seven months pregnant at the time of the fire, was found deceased on the second floor of the home. Her children were rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but tragically did not survive. The unborn child also perished in the blaze.

According to local reports, the fire broke out in the early hours of Friday morning, rapidly engulfing the residence and leaving little time for escape.

Neighbor Yessenia Nieves described the horrific scene: “We looked out the window, and it was engulfed in flames. It happened so fast.” She recalled seeing the children’s grandmother jump from a second-story window with a baby in her arms in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.

“There was no going back in to help anyone else,” Nieves said solemnly. “It’s just devastating. Really sad, the whole situation.”

Philadelphia Fire Department officials, in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), are actively investigating the cause of the fire.

Arson detection dogs have been deployed, and investigators are using other forensic tools to determine how and why the fire was set. Authorities have confirmed that at least one person has been taken into custody for questioning, though no charges have yet been filed.

Chyna, a close family member and roommate of Thompson who declined to share her last name, expressed her anguish in multiple interviews.

“This morning I’m getting a call that the whole house is on fire and my family is gone,” she said. “I couldn’t even imagine in my mind who would want to hurt three babies and a pregnant girl.”

Fighting back tears, Chyna added: “It don’t even seem real. It’s a dream — she’s going to wake up tomorrow and call me.”

In an emotional plea directed at the perpetrator, she said: “You all took my family. Including that baby she had in her stomach that was very healthy, and she was about to have. That’s a tragedy.”

Ashley Thompson’s death has left an enormous void in the hearts of those who knew her. A GoFundMe campaign organized by her family to cover funeral expenses and support surviving loved ones describes her as a devoted mother and a beloved friend.

“Our world was shattered by the sudden and heartbreaking loss of Ashley Thompson and her two beautiful children,” the page reads. “Her children were her joy, her purpose, and the light of so many lives around them.”

TOP STORIES

• Man Fatally Shoots Mother, Is Then Allegedly Killed by Older Brother in Act of Self-Defense
• Sheriff Who Threatened ‘No Kings’ Protesters With ‘We Will Kill You Graveyard Dead’ Just Opened a Can of Worms on Himself
• Man Pleads Guilty to Exploiting 12-Year-Old and Plotting Her Murder to Prevent Testimony

As the investigation continues, the city mourns a tragic loss that has brought renewed attention to the devastating consequences of arson and violence in residential neighborhoods. Community members have begun leaving flowers, candles and stuffed animals at the scene in honor of the young family lost too soon.

Authorities urge anyone with information about the fire to come forward as they work to ensure justice for the victims and their loved ones.