Trial – February fire

A man faces trial on involuntary manslaughter and child abuse charges in a February apartment fire in Kalamazoo that killed three young children who were left home alone. The Kalamazoo Gazette reports jury selection for 19-year-old Fred Glespie is expected to begin Tuesday and last several days. The Benton Harbor man is charged in the Feb. 18 fire at Interfaith Homes that killed Jonetta Woods’s 3-year-old twins and the children’s 1-year-old sister. Authorities say the children were left to be cared for by another young child. Court documents say Glespie’s attorney seeks to show that Woods, and not his client, had a history of leaving the children alone. Glespie is Woods’ ex-boyfriend. A family court jury earlier found Woods and Glespie were neglectful on the day of the fire.  (AP)