One child dead, another injured after van fire; man charged
Updated: Aug. 8, 3:11 p.m. | Posted: Aug. 7, 4:52 p.m.
A 6-year-old girl badly injured in a van fire Tuesday outside a Fridley Walmart has died and her 9-year-old sister is in critical condition. The news came Wednesday as Anoka County prosecutors alleged a man camping in the parking lot accidentally caused the fire in an adjacent vehicle after using his cook stove.
According to the complaint, Roberto Lino Hipolito, 70, of Long Beach, Calif., and his wife had slept in the Walmart parking lot overnight. Fire investigators concluded the fire had started in the rear of Hipolito’s van and may have been caused by a stove that had been recovered there.
Prosecutors say he first denied using the stove that morning to cook but then later admitted he had used it then put it back in the van and then tossed pillows and blankets to the rear of the van, where he’d also put the stove.
Surveillance video shows Hipolito cooking something on the stove, then putting it in the van before going into the store.
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He was charged with second-degree manslaughter and negligently causing a fire.
Six-year-old Ty'rah White and 9-year-old Taraji White were asleep in a minivan that caught fire in a Walmart parking lot on Tuesday morning while their mother shopped. Ty'rah died from burns and smoke inhalation injuries received in the fire.
The girls' mother, 33-year-old Essie McKenzie of Coon Rapids told reporters Thursday that Ty'rah had been looking forward to a September birthday.
"She fought a good fight, she really did. I just really miss her," McKenzie said. “She’s like one of the kids in the classroom that knows everyone in her classroom by their name. She was a really bright kid. She just loved to be noticed. That’s one thing about my baby.”
Taraji remains in critical condition as of Thursday afternoon.
"She's fighting real hard. We can't lose another baby. And it's just real hard for our family,” said Alexis Mckenzie, Essie’s sister, adding that the family is asking for prayers for the girl.
Alexis Mckenzie said the girls were asleep in the van after waking up early with their mother to drive a family member to the airport. “My sister is an awesome mom. She’s one of the best moms I know,” she said. “She loves her kids, and this is so tragic, such a freak accident.”
HCMC surgeon Fred Endorf said they are treating Taraji for smoke inhalation and burns. He said the smoke inhalation injuries were severe because the girls were in such a confined space when the fire happened.
Hipolito made his first court appearance Thursday where the court set bail at $150,000 with no conditions or $100,000 with the condition that the defendant surrender his passport.
The next hearing in the case was scheduled for Sept. 5.
Walmart is well known for allowing overnight RV parking at some locations, and the company's corporate website says it does so "as we are able," with permission coming from individual store managers.
A section of frequently asked questions on the company's website didn't cover other vehicles. A manager of the Fridley Walmart referred questions to a corporate media relations number, and messages weren't immediately returned.
A GoFundMe page has been started to help the family of the victims.
The Associated Press has contributed to this story.