The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Jessica Tata, 22, is expected to return to the United States within 24 hours to face charges related to a fire at a day care center where four children died. Tata departed Lagos, Nigeria, at 4:30 p.m. CDT Sunday and was expected to be in Houston within 24 hours, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) said in a statement issued Sunday.
Authorities believe Tata fled to Nigeria two days after a Feb. 24 fire at her home day care center in Houston killed four children and hurt three others. Tata has been charged with manslaughter, injury to a child and child abandonment amid accusations that she left the youngsters alone at her home day care center while she shopped at a nearby store. Authorities believe that the fire was ignited by a stove-top burner that had been left on.
"I am glad she decided to make the right decision, which is to return to this country of which she is a citizen in order to face the charges against her," Lee said. Tata had been placed on a most-wanted-fugitives list, and Nigeria had been notified that she was wanted in the United States. Tata's brother said that she fled because she felt "really, really, really bad about the situation, especially the families."
She felt so bad that she fled the country, leaving relatives wondering what actually happened to their children. She felt "really, really, really bad" about what was going to happen to her? Helping to bring closure to the families at whatever cost to herself would have been the right thing to do. Someone selfish enough to leave children alone in a home day care with an open burner, when she is actually being paid to watch them, isn't benevolent enough to return because she wants to do the right thing. They can save that. Unfortunately, the children or their families couldn't be saved from this irresponsible and selfish person.
Read more at the Houston Chronicle.
In other news: Baltimore Boy, 4, Dies After Shooting Himself.