4-y-o girl burnt to death in suspected arson

A suspect has been held in the death of four-year-old Sariak Kowen, who perished in a fire that is believed to have been deliberately started.

The fire also destroyed Sariah's family dwelling in Dean Pen district, Highgate, St Mary, about 4 a.m. on Tuesday. Acting Commandant for the St Mary Police Division, Deputy Superintendent Kevin Francis, said that the man was held during a police operation. Sariak's mother, Rose Beecher, 38, and other family members also received burns and are said to be in serious condition in hospital.

Reports are that the occupants of the house were asleep when Beecher felt a liquid substance on her and then immediately felt fire. When she got up, the house was engulfed in flames. She managed to run to safety but received severe burns to her body. She was unable to alert or assist anyone. The fire department was called, and after cooling-down operations, Sariah's charred remains were found.

Sariah's father, Okoy Kowen, told reporters that he got a call as he awoke Tuesday morning that his babymother's house had burned down, but wasn't told of his daughter's death.

He said he broke down in tears when he reached the location and realised that she had died.

"Mi never know if she burn up or what but when mi come inna di taxi mi hear that mi daughter burn up in the fire. Mi start cry. I heard she was sleeping and somebody came and throw a bottle bomb through the window," Kowen said. "She was nice, good looking, jovial," he said of his daughter.

Member of Parliament for St Mary Central, Dr Morais Guy, described the incident as tragic and said it was having a traumatic effect on residents. He said that from a constituency level, efforts will be made to assist the family to rebuild the house.

"It's really a sad, sad, sad occasion. I want to extend condolences for what happened," he said.