Aberdeen toddler dies from burns; sisters, mother critical

Saturday, February 25, 2006 7:49 PM CST

ABERDEEN (AP) - Two sisters and their mother remained hospitalized Saturday in a burn center in Georgia after an explosion and fire at their home earlier this week in Aberdeen.

A third child, a 17-month-old girl, died Thursday of injuries suffered in the incident, authorities said.

Caliyha Brown died at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Ga., said hospital spokeswoman Beth Fritz.

Four-year-old Caleasha and 8-year-old Cailin Brown, were listed in stable but critical condition. The children's mother, Cassandra Armstrong, was stable but critical condition at the center, Fritz said Saturday.

The family was flown to the burn center Wednesday following an explosion that was reportedly caused when Armstrong attempted to rid herself and the children of lice by rinsing off in a tub of gasoline and hot water.

Fumes from the hot water and gasoline caused a gas hot water heater to explode, said Aberdeen Fire Chief Frank Gladney.

“She had lice on her and on some clothes, so she put the clothes in the bathtub and poured (gasoline) on them and on herself.

“This is something that people used to do in the old days to kill lice, but back then the houses had enough cracks in them to release the fumes,” he said. “Houses these days are sealed air tight, so the gas fumes had nowhere to escape.

“When the gas water heater came on, it caused the fumes in the home to explode, catching the house on fire. This was just pure carelessness,” Gladney said.

Aberdeen Police Chief Walter Sykes said the accident remains under investigation.

Fritz said the Still Burn Center medical director, Dr. Fred Mullins, and two other staff members flew from Augusta to Pioneer Community Hospital in Aberdeen to help stabilize the victims and transport them to the burn center.