Mom found guilty after kids die in fire

Chastity Hall went out for night of drinking while children were left home alone.

A Preble County woman whose young children died in a house fire while she was out drinking was found guilty of two counts of endangering children and two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Preble County Common Pleas Court Judge David Abruzzo handed down the verdict Friday against Chastity Hall, 35, after a two-day bench trial this month.

Hall was arrested in the incident but was released from jail after posting a $50,000 cash bond.

“She remains free on bail, pending the sentencing hearing,” said Martin Votel, Preble County prosecutor.

Hall’s sentencing has not been scheduled.

She could face 3 years in prison for each count for the endangering children charges, which are third-degree felonies, according to Votel. She could face 11 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter, which is a first-degree felony.

Two of Hall’s children — Malea Bradburn, 10, and Malachi Bradburn, 9 — were left alone in their home in the 3400 block of East U.S. 35 on Feb. 20 and into the morning of Feb. 21 when the fire broke out.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office ruled the fire “undetermined.” Investigators said the fire was so intense there was not enough of the home left to determine how the fire started.

The night before the deadly fire, Hall sought a babysitter for her children, but left home anyway when she wasn’t successful, according to an affidavit filed by Preble County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Mike Spitler.

Hall returned home around 6:45 a.m. to find the yard full of fire trucks and her house destroyed. She yelled, “Where are my babies? My babies are in there!”

The children’s bodies were recovered in the basement around 10:45 a.m.

Hall’s ex-boyfriend, Arcadio “Eric” Escobar, 33, was indicted on a felony trespassing charge. Escobar was questioned about the fire, but Votel previously said there was insufficient evidence to charge him in connection with the fire or the children’s deaths.

The court dismissed two involuntary manslaughter charges against Hall, which were third-degree felonies.

“Those charges were duplicate charges,” Votel said. “They were included in the indictment by the state to give the state some flexibility at trial, depending on how the facts and evidence were presented … As a matter of law, a defendant cannot be convicted of and be sentenced to both felony one involuntary manslaughter and felony three involuntary manslaughter.”

Hall’s defense attorney, H. Steven Hobbs, said he plans to appeal the decision.

“I respectfully disagree with the judge’s verdict … Overall, what I can say is this is just a tragic situation for everybody involved,” Hobbs said. “I disagreed with manslaughter specifically because it wasn’t really foreseeable.”

Hobbs added that Escobar pleaded guilty to burglary. “So, there is no question in my mind that he was there for some nefarious or ill-purpose.”

Votel was pleased with the verdict.

“We’re happy for the memory of the victims in this case, Malea and Malachi Bradburn. I think these verdicts are right and proper, both as a matter of law and as a matter of morality,” Votel said. “They demonstrate that a mother simply cannot abandoned her young children overnight and then act surprised when something tragic happens. There are criminal consequences for that kind of behavior.”

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