Elkhart woman charged in May house fire that killed 2 people
GOSHEN, Ind. (AP) - A northern Indiana woman has been charged with allegedly setting a May house fire that killed a man and an 8-year-old boy.
Genessa Jones of Elkhart appeared for an initial hearing Thursday where she was formally charged with two counts of causing a death while committing arson. An Elkhart County judge entered a not-guilty plea on her behalf and appointed a public defender to represent her.
Jones, 48, was charged after authorities said Dennis Witte and 8-year-old Nyshaun Finch died at a Chicago hospital from smoke inhalation following the May 23 fire, The Elkhart Truth reported.
Firefighters who responded to the two-story Elkhart residence found heavy black smoke coming from the front windows and the rear. They rescued a woman from the roof using a ladder.
That woman told firefighters that her child was still in the home on the first floor. Firefighters searched the residence and quickly found Finch and Witte.
A firefighter was also injured during the response.