UPDATE, Feb. 7, 6 a.m.
The family of a two-year-old girl killed in a trailer fire in Petersburg believe their son set the deadly blaze.
LeShay Yates died early Monday morning in the fire at the Spring Garden trailer park on County Drive. Her family tells us it started when her 7-year-old brother, who they say has mental problems, set a blanket on fire. The flames quickly spread.
"It blocked off the other end of the trailer, and that was it," said Cecil Yates, LeShay's father. "It pretty much went up in maybe five or six minutes. We tried, we tried to save my baby."
When firefighters arrived, they were unable to reach the girl because of the intense flames and heat.
LeShay's father, mother and brother were able to escape unharmed. The Red Cross is assisting them.
The girl's parents say they first noticed something was wrong with their son when he was three. Recently, they tell us the boy set his own jacket on fire.
His grandmother told us about more troubling behavior.
"He stomped my kitten and killed it. I brought him home the next day and went to his psychiatrist, and said please help my grandson, he has problems."
The family tells 8News the girl's brother has been admitted to a psychiatric clinic.
Authorities are still working to determine exactly what caused the fire. The medical examiner has not submitted a final report on LeShay's cause of death.
PETERSBURG - A young girl has died in an early morning trailer fire in Petersburg. Firefighters found the home engulfed in flames when they arrived at the Spring Gardens trailer park in the 2100 block of County Drive shortly after midnight Monday.
Authorities tell us the victim was between two and three years old. She was inside with her parents and a young boy. The other three made it out safely, but the girl's father was unable to reach her in time. He suffered burns to his hands while trying to rescue her.
The family's trailer was destroyed in the fire, and the Red Cross is assisting them. The fire did not spread to other homes, but authorities say some siding was melted on nearby trailers.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. It's not clear whether the home had working smoke detectors.
To find out how to donate to the family, visit the link to the Red Cross web site below.
Stay with 8News for updates on this breaking news story.
Copyright 2012 by Young Broadcasting of Richmond
LeShay Yates
