NEW ORLEANS, LA – A New Orleans father has been taken into custody following a devastating house fire that resulted in the death of his three children. Joseph Washington, 29, is now facing a slew of charges including three instances of second-degree murder, cruelty to a juvenile, and aggravated arson, as per the local police department.
The horrifying incident, believed to have originated from a domestic dispute, prompted a city-wide manhunt for Washington. His car was discovered partially submerged in the Mississippi River on Wednesday morning. Later that day, when authorities attempted to intercept Washington in another vehicle, he tried to evade capture by leaping off an overpass. He was eventually apprehended and hospitalized for injuries incurred during the arrest.
The chain of events leading to Washington’s arrest began with a frantic 911 call from the children’s mother late Tuesday night. She reported that Washington had threatened to burn down their home. She was on her way to the house when the call was made.
Shortly thereafter, a fire was reported at their single-family home in New Orleans East. Upon arrival, firefighters found two children, a five-year-old girl and an eight-year-old boy, unresponsive near the entrance of the house. Despite attempts to revive them, both children were declared dead at a nearby hospital an hour later.
As firefighters battled the blaze, they discovered a third child, a three-year-old boy, in the middle of the house. He had already passed away from his injuries. The official cause of death for all three children will be determined by the coroner. The investigation into the fire’s origin is still underway.