Bodycam shows firefighters pulling 12-year-old girl from burning home, mother charged with arson

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Grand Rapids Police released body and dashcam video showing what first responders saw as a fire engulfed a home in Southeast Grand Rapids early Saturday morning.

At a media briefing on Monday afternoon, the chiefs of both the Grand Rapids Police Department and the Grand Rapids Fire Department spoke of how intense the scene was for responders.

In the bodycam video, an officer is seen running on the sidewalk in front of the home where he approaches 46-year-old Roconda Singleton, who was taken into custody after GRPD determined the fire was deliberately set.

"Are there any kids still in the house?" the officer asked.

"My daughter is in there, yes," said Singleton, before pointing the officer in the direction of where one of the children was.

"There still might be one kid inside on the second floor," the officer said to a firefighter on scene.

Singleton is facing three charges of second-degree child abuse and one charge of first-degree arson.

In the video, the repeating sounds of fire alarms can be heard from outside. Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said Singleton placed the smoke detectors outside prior to the fire.

"There's a mom that meticulously took all seven of her smoke detectors, and put them in a bag, and removed them from the house before she poured lighter fluid all over the house and lit it on fire in an attempt to kill her three children," said Winstrom.

In the video, black smoke can be seen billowing out of the windows, as firefighters climbed into the second floor. Grand Rapids Fire Chief, Brad Brown, said the black smoke was unburned fuel.

"Our members place themselves directly in harms way to save a life. That's what we take an oath to do, and that's what we did," said Brown. "Unfortunately, the 12-year-old sustained some smoke inhalation, some critical injuries."

Firefighters can be seen pulling a 12-year-old girl out from the second-floor window and then performing CPR on her outside.

The 12-year-old passed away from her injuries in the hospital Monday night, according to GRPD.

Two other girls, ten and seven years old, were also taken to a hospital and released after receiving treatment.

Winstrom said both GRPD and ATF have activated their victim support services, with Children's Protective Services involved in the case as well. Winstrom said the children's father did not live at the home and is currently involved with the children.