Community will remember siblings killed in fire in Saturday funeral

Several community leaders plan to gather Saturday at the funeral for three small children who died in a Minneapolis fire earlier this month.

The funeral for Latorious Thomas, 6, and his sisters Latoria, 5, and Latorianna, 23 months, is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Spiritual Church of God in Robbinsdale, Minn.

Pastor Harding Smith said he's bringing the community together to celebrate the children's short lives and also to try to prevent future tragedies.

Congressman Keith Ellison is expected to speak at the service. Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek, Minneapolis School Board member Don Samuels and civil rights activist Harry "Spike" Moss are also planning to attend.

Smith said the leaders will also honor firefighters who brought the children out of the fire.

The cause of the fire that killed the siblings is still under investigation. Minneapolis investigators are looking into the children's mother's whereabouts at the time of the fire.