Criminal charges being sought

Police are seeking criminal charges against the mother of three children who died after they were killed in a fire at an apartment complex in Kalamazoo last month. Kalamazoo County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Carrie Klein says the request for three counts of second-degree child abuse against 26-year old Jonetta Woods is being reviewed. The charge carries up to 10 years in prison. Three-year-old twins Tevin and Tinya Williams and 1-year-old Tyonna Henderson died after they were trapped in an upstairs apartment in the February 18 blaze at the Interfaith Apartments on the city’s north side. Their 4-year-old sister Drayanna O’Day survived the blaze. Investigators say the four children were left alone at the time. Fire officials have said the blaze was intentionally set. Woods faces a May 14 trial in family court where a jury will determine if she was neglectful when she left the three younger children alone prior to the fire. The jury also will decide in May whether the state should take jurisdiction over Drayanna who was temporarily removed from Woods’ custody the day after the fire.  (MRN)