Va. parents charged after 2 toddlers and great-grandmother suffer critical burns in house fire

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. (TCD) -- A grand jury returned multiple indictments against a couple whose two young children and a grandmother were seriously injured during a house fire in May.

On May 15 at 3:49 p.m., the Colonial Heights and Chesterfield fire departments and EMS responded to a fire on the 1100 block of Covington Road and noticed flames from an upstairs window. Firefighters controlled the blaze in about 16 minutes, but medics transported two juveniles and an adult to the Virginia Commonwealth University Trauma Center in critical condition.

The Colonial Heights Fire Department said eight people were displaced as a result of the fire.

WRIC-TV reports Sharon Davis was watching her great-grandchildren when the fire occurred. Five-year-old Maverick reportedly was not injured, but 2-year-old Nathaniel and 1-year-old Eva are still in the hospital undergoing treatment. WRIC says Davis' status was not immediately known.

Court records show the children’s parents, Cierra Pitts and Joshua Cabaniss, were each charged with three counts of child abuse with disregard for life, three counts of cruelty or injury to a child, and three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. They are scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, Sept. 12.

According to WRIC, Cabaniss was already in custody at the Riverside Regional Jail. Records show he was booked in August for two counts of simple assault against a family member. Pitts was taken into custody on Monday, Sept. 11.

MORE:

• House Fire, 5/15/2023 - Colonial Heights Fire and EMS
• Parents of children critically burned in Colonial Heights house fire charged with child abuse, mother wanted by police - WRIC
• Virginia Circuit Court case search information
• Joshua Cabaniss - Riverside Regional Jail 
• Cierra Pitts - Riverside Regional Jail