MANSFIELD, Ohio — An 18-year-old Mansfield man accused of starting a fire that killed a 3-year-old girl and left two houses severely damaged has been indicted by a Richland County grand jury for her death, according to an indictment from the Richland County Prosecutor's Office.
Roscoe D. Hunter, 18, is charged with murder and two counts of aggravated arson.
Hunter is accused of setting a vacant house on fire in the 200 block of South Foster Street in the early morning hours of June 26.
On scene, police learned the fire spread to 208 South Foster Street, which was occupied at the time of the fire.
The residents in that home were awoken by a neighbor who saw the flames and pounded on their door to wake them.
A 3-year-old girl who was staying in an upstairs bedroom at that residence was unable to be rescued due to smoke and flames, police said. A pregnant woman at that home was taken to a hospital for treatment after experiencing possible labor pains. No other injuries were reported, and the three adult and four juvenile occupants got out safely.
"I wanted to run in there, the cops wouldn’t let me," said Clifton Williams, the father of the 3-year-old victim. "It’s my baby, as a dad I’m suppose to do that, part of me feels like I failed her."
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