Larimer teachers, neighbors mourn loss of children

Administrators at Lincoln Elementary School had planned a celebration for the last day of classes Tuesday.

The deaths of five children in a fire at a nearby home instead brought grief counseling sessions with stunned students at the Larimer school, where two of the victims were enrolled.

"They were beautiful, smart and vibrant children," said Principal Regina B. Holley. "We've all been working very tirelessly today to hold it together. What a sad way to end the school year and start the summer."

Daekia Holyfield, 7, was in the first grade at Lincoln and Cedano Holyfield, 4, attended a Head Start program there. The siblings perished in an early morning fire at their Winslow Street home with their sister Dezekiah Holyfield, 3, and two other children, Andre Rankin, 6, and Azqeuel Rankin, 5, both of Hazelwood.

"They were always running and laughing and playing," said Winslow Street neighbor Denise Harris. "I wish I could hug them right now. My heart is really hurting."

Javon Irwin, one of two 8-year-old boys who survived the fire, just finished second grade at Lincoln. The other survivor, Huedon Chambliss, the brother of the Rankin boys, was a second-grader at Minadeo Elementary School in Squirrel Hill, where Andre was in kindergarten.

"He had a big smile. Most of all, he was always helpful to the teacher," Minadeo Principal Glory Getty said of Andre. "His favorite subject was art. He loved to draw and he always talked about playing football."

Getty and school officials did not tell students about the deaths yesterday. They sent Andre's classmates home with sealed letters to their parents offering counseling.

"As far as the students go, they had a good last day of school," Getty said.

Rosalind Rankin-Davis, who said she was the great-aunt of Andre and Azqeuel Rankin, identified the parents of the boys as Andre Rankin, of Penn Hills, and Furaha "T" Love.

At the scene of the fire, Rankin-Davis carried a photo of Love and her children with Andre flashing a huge grin, showing off his chubby cheeks.

"We called him 'Muscles,' because he liked to eat a lot," Rankin-Davis said.

The Rankin boys' grandmother, Carolyn Rankin, was murdered in Wilkinsburg in September 2003 at age 49.

Relatives of the Rankin and Holyfield children declined to comment as they left the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's office after identifying the bodies.