POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – A South Florida woman was arrested Friday, days after her two young daughters were killed in a fire at their apartment, authorities said.
Jeny Yosselin Melendez-Ramirez, 22, faces two counts of aggravated manslaughter of a child.
The fire occurred around 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Banyan Club apartments at 1830 NE 48th St.
Broward Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion said in a news release that neighbors called 911 after seeing smoke coming from Melendez-Ramirez's apartment.
Pompano Beach Fire Rescue crews extinguished the fire and found the bodies of the two young girls inside the home, Concepcion said.
The girls were identified as 5-month-old Abigail Espinoza and 5-year-old Sofia Melendez.
According to Concepcion, Melendez-Ramirez told detectives she left her daughters and her 2-year-old son in the care of her 16-year-old sister, Saydi Melendez, while she went to work.
Authorities said Saydi told detectives her sister told her to take the boy and go to Walmart to get some baby food.
The fire somehow erupted while she was gone.
Detectives believe Melendez-Ramirez caused the death of her daughters through culpable negligence.
Concepcion said the young mother was arrested Friday afternoon following a traffic stop in the 1900 block of West McNab Road.
Her teenage sister and surviving child have been placed in state custody.