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Outpouring of support for mother whose 3 children died in fire

Posted at 2:02 PM, Jul 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-13 20:03:27-04

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Members of the community continue to rally behind a Henrico mother who lost her three children in an apartment fire.

Joreatha Lewis, 26, who is seven months pregnant, is working to put the pieces together and make funeral arrangements for her children.

At last check more than $17,000 has been raised after her family established a  GoFundMe account for the funeral.

After seeing her story, numerous organizations decided they wanted to help with the children's funeral services.

Fifth Baptist Church on Cary Street is donating its facility for the service. Additionally, a florist at Lawrenceville Florist has offered to donate flowers.

Seven-year-old Jeremiah, two-year-old Shyla and one-year-old Sage were asleep in their Highland Pointe apartment, along with Lewis' fiance, Shawn Ross, when unattended food on the stove caught fire.

Henrico firefighters pulled the four from the apartment, but they were unresponsive.

All three children later died from their injuries. No update has been given on Ross, who remains hospitalized.

Lewis was at work at the time of the fire.

A Memorial Fund at Essex Bank is also set up in the children's names.

The funeral is planned for Friday, July 21 at 1 p.m. at Fifth Baptist Church on Cary Street in Richmond.

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