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Mom Charged After Fatal Fire In Gary Kills Two Children

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A mother has been charged after an apartment fire in Gary killed two children.

Kristen Alyse Gober, 33, of Gary left her three small children unattended in their apartment for "an extended period of time," police said in a statement Tuesday.

During that time, a fire started in the kitchen. While a six-year-old was able to escape, two other children died: 2-year-old Kailani Gober and her 4-year-old brother, Kristopher Gober.

Gober is charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent causing death, and one count of neglect of a dependent and possession of marijuana.

It took firefighters about four hours to extinguish the blaze.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, but fire officials said they are looking into the possibility one of the children who died might have been cooking when the fire started.

More than 100 residents were displaced by the fire, but work crews were already making repairs to get them back home as soon as possible.

 

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