Vanessa Kaimimoku: Brave mom dies after attempting to save 12-year-old daughter's life from raging fire
DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA: A woman in Downey died while attempting to save her 12-year-old daughter from a fire that blazed through their apartment earlier this week according to family members. The devastated family is now struggling to adjust to their new situation as detectives try to identify the cause of the fire. Authorities claimed that the 12-year-old daughter, Kayla Kaimimoku Diaz, and the mother, Vanessa Kaimimoku, were upstairs when the fire started. The mother was declared dead at the scene, and Kayla died the next day, as per ABC 7.
"She took every bit of strength to go in that house to attempt to save her," said Jonathan Gardilcic, who lost his sister and his niece. He added, "I wish I could've been here to help." According to the Downey Incident Department, the fire began late on the night of Tuesday, December 20 close to the intersection of Dinsdale Street and Tweedy Lane. One of the garages and the living room were aflame when the firefighters got to the scene.
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The grandmother of the child was also hurt in the fire and is now recuperating in the intensive care unit (ICU) after a neighbor pulled her out of the flames. Family members expressed their gratitude to those who assisted them. "Thank you so much," said Gardilcic as per ABC 7. "If it wasn't for you, my mother would probably be in a worst condition."
Crew members reported that the smoke was so dense that it was challenging to locate the victims who were trapped inside. "Conditions inside of the structure, they reported zero visibility and high heat on the second floor," said battalion chief Jorge Villanueva.
The cause of the fire has not been identified by investigators. In the meantime, neighbors have been laying down flowers, cards, and toys at the apartment to honor the mother and the girl. Numerous students from the local school where Kayla attended showed up on Thursday, December 22 to pay tributes to their classmate.
Gardilcic expressed his gratitude for the support of the neighborhood. Recalling the loss, he broke down in tears and said, "I miss you, we all love you, all of our love is still here for you. I hope you can feel it and hear it." The fire did not cause any harm to any other housing units. A GoFundMe has been created to support the family in the interim.