Immigration hold placed on mother accused of manslaughter in children’s fire deaths

The mother of the 5-year-old girl and the 5-month-old baby girl who died in a Pompano Beach apartment fire Saturday morning has been arrested on aggravated manslaughter of a child charges.

Bond was set at $20,000 for Jeny Melendez-Ramirez, 22. But there’s also an immigration hold placed on her.

Melendez-Ramirez wasn’t home when the fire started in her apartment at 1830 NE 48th St. Nor was her sister, 16-year-old Saydi Melendez, who Melendez-Ramirez left in charge of her two daughters and 2-year-old son while she went to work.

Saydi told detectives Melendez-Ramirez told her to go to Walmart, about a half mile away, with the 2-year-old and get some baby food. So, 5-year-old Sofia Melendez was alone with 5-month-old Abigail Espinoza when the fire began.

According to a Pompano Beach Fire Rescue spokesperson, smoke and flames greeted firefighters at 9:30 a.m. Once firefighters put out the fire, they searched the apartment and found Sofia and Abigail dead in a bedroom.

This story was originally published October 19, 2018 at 6:51 PM.