Second mother to be questioned in fatal Larimer fire

Pittsburgh police detectives expect to question this morning one of the women whose children were killed in a Larimer house fire last week.

Fuhara "T" Love, 25, of Hazelwood, and her attorney are supposed to arrive at Pittsburgh police headquarters in the North Side about 10 a.m., investigators said Tuesday.

Investigators on Monday interviewed the other mother, Shakita Mangham, 25, with her attorney, James M. Ecker. The pair left after about an hour. Information on Love's attorney wasn't available yesterday.

Homicide detectives plan to consult with investigators with the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office as early as Thursday to determine if any charges should be filed and against whom, police said.

The mothers left the children alone in Mangham's home on Winslow Street in Larimer the evening of June 11 and early morning of June 12, police said. The fire started about 1:23 a.m. when two of the children were playing with matches, investigators said.

Mangham told police she left the children in the care of a baby sitter named either LaShawn Smith or LaShawn Smithfield.

Police doubt that story.

"We don't believe there was a baby sitter involved," Lt. Kevin Kraus said yesterday.

Killed in the fire were three of Mangham's children, Dezekiah Holyfield, 3; Cedano Holyfield, 4; and Daekia Holyfield, 7; and two of Love's children, Azquel Rankin, 5, and Andre Rankin, 6. Javon Irwin, 8, Mangham's son, and Huedon Chambliss, 8, Love's son, escaped the fire.

Police are trying to determine if the mothers were at Daddy B's New Jug Tavern the night of the fire.