EUCLID, Ohio — Dozens gathered in front of a home on Morris Avenue Wednesday night to say goodbye to 45-year-old Amber Hines, who was found dead after a house fire in Euclid on March 3.
Jaylin Walker, Hine's 20-year-old son, was arrested and indicted by a Cuyahoga County Grand Jury on the following charges in connection with her death:
- Murder
- Three counts of aggravated arson
- Two counts of felonious assault
An investigation is ongoing.
As officials try to piece together the case, Hines' loved ones are trying to figure out how to move forward.
On Wednesday, a vigil was held for Hines in front of the home where she took her last breath.
Loved ones lit candles, said prayers, and released balloons in honor of her.
"We miss her more than words can say. One of my favorite memories with my mom was taking our trip to Texas two summers ago. We were visiting her brother and we were surrounded by so much family and so much love. She always carried a smile on her face. The most beautiful part about my mom was her smile. It lit up the entire room," Hines' daughter, Summer Wagner, said.
Wagner said her mother gave everyone immense love and comfort, and she's hoping to carry on that legacy.
"May she rest in peace and may her love continue to live on in all of us," Wagner said.
Alongside Wagner was her sister, Samaya Walker; Hines' boyfriend, Lloyd Booker and their son, Lloyd Booker Jr.
"She was the best mom ever," Walker said.
Booker said seeing how many people showed up on Wednesday, even as it rained, was a reminder of how loved Hines was.
"It makes me feel that Amber was exactly who she was, you know what I mean? She lived just exactly who she was, caring and treating everybody the exact same way. Love, no violence, no nothing. Amber was an angel on earth, you know what I mean? That's my baby. We're gonna love her forever. We gonna live on through her and all that good stuff," Booker said.
Walker said she's constantly thinking of her mom, and will continue playing on repeat the memories they shared together.
"We had a big dinner for my birthday. It was really fun. I loved it so much," Walker said.
The three of them told me they'll continue loving her and want her to know "we got you."
A GoFundMe has been created to help support the family during this time. If you'd like to donate, click HERE.
What happened?
According to a Euclid police report, officers were dispatched to the house fire at 11:30 a.m.
Upon arrival, the home was fully engulfed in flames.
Video camera footage recovered by Euclid Police reveals Hines' 20-year old son, Jaylin Walker, arriving home, walking through the front door.
Not long after Walker got home, records indicate the blinds on a northwest window began to go up and down.
A few seconds later, the windows open, and smoke starts flowing out of the room, the report stated.
The report explains that once the window is opened, someone appears to attempt to throw a mattress out of the window.
A Euclid police report indicated, "After several attempts to remove the object, it is no longer visible. A few seconds late(r)... you can observe [an] extremely bright orange flash inside the bedroom and a massive amount of smoke coming out of the window."
Walker is then allegedly heard yelling, "get out of the window," to his mother.
While Walker exited the home, the fire melted the back of his jacket.
Walker continued to run around the front and side of the home as the home became fully engulfed in less than five seconds, with a massive amount of fire billowing out of the front door and west side second-floor window, the report stated.
One person managed to jump from the second-story window, escaping the fire.
Hines did not make it out of the home alive. Her body was found in a second-floor bedroom.
The State Fire Marshal's Office confirms two people were injured in the fire as well.
"The State Fire Marshal’s Fire and Explosion Investigations Bureau is investigating along with Euclid Fire and PD," the State Fire Marshal's Office told me on Wednesday.
Later that morning, fire investigators searched the home. An arson canine tagged along.
The canine, according to records, alerted to multiple parts of the home, including the stairs from the living room to the upstairs. The dog also alerted on the landing at both the top and bottom of the stairs.
"It should be noted that these areas showed signs of severe fire damage," the report says.
Walker was interviewed by authorities, where he allegedly made contradictory statements about how the fire occurred.
When Walker was confronted about "his" mattress, he was unable to explain why it was missing, per Euclid Police.
"His emotions would go up and down throughout the interview, but he ultimately denied starting or knowing how the fire occurred," Euclid Police said.
Based on the interview with Walker and the evidence collected thus far, he was arrested at the conclusion of the interview.
Walker is being held on a $1 million bond.
His next Euclid Municipal Court appearance will be on March 13.
