Philadelphia, PA — A tragic house fire that claimed the lives of a pregnant mother and her two young children in the early hours of June 13 is now being investigated as an act of arson — allegedly set by members of the victims’ own family.
Authorities say Ashley Thompson, 31, who was seven months pregnant, died in the blaze that engulfed her home around 5:00 a.m. in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of North Philadelphia. Her two children, Assad, 6, and Alaya, 4, were pulled from the burning home alive but later succumbed to their injuries at the hospital.
On June 25, Philadelphia police arrested two family members in connection with the deadly fire: Charles Sumpter, 67, and Fleitte Newell, 44. Both now face multiple counts of murder, arson, and related charges.
Investigators believe the fire was deliberately set, and according to court documents, a long-standing family dispute may have played a role in the tragedy. One survivor, Sherry Jackson, managed to escape the fire with another child. Jackson told authorities that she had been locked in a bitter conflict with her sister, Fleitte Newell, over ownership and occupancy of the home — a feud she says had escalated over the past year.
Jackson also alleges that Newell had previously threatened to set the house on fire. “She told me she would burn the house down with me in it,” Jackson told reporters. “I didn’t think she’d actually do it. But now, that nightmare is real.”
Firefighters found Thompson unresponsive on the second floor of the home. Despite efforts to resuscitate her, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her two children were rushed to a nearby hospital but were unable to survive their injuries. The unborn child also did not survive.
Neighbors described the fire as “fast-moving and overwhelming,” with flames visible from blocks away as first responders raced to the scene.
The case has sent shockwaves through the community and sparked renewed conversation around domestic disputes and threats that escalate into violence. City officials have vowed to pursue justice for the victims while offering grief counseling and support to those affected.
As the investigation continues, the lives of three young souls — and one unborn — are being mourned citywide, the aftermath of what authorities are calling an “unthinkable act of betrayal.”