CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A family continues to mourn after three people have died following a house fire. Those three victims are a mother and her two children.

Last Wednesday morning, the fire destroyed their east Charlotte home and has now taken three of their family members’ lives. The mother, Ana Sanchez, died that Thursday night, just hours before her 2-year-old daughter, Aranza, passed away. The 9-year-old boy, Leonel Alexander Villagrez Sanchez, died on Wednesday. 

Ten people were home when the fire started. Seven of them were hurt including, including five kids. The father was out working, but was on the phone with his wife when he heard her say the smoke detector was going off.

A GoFundMe account was set up to support the family. Two other children are in critical condition.

One of the children that died, Leonel, attended Briarwood Elementary School. The princpal there told Spectrum News exclusively about plans to remember the child.

 

 

Beth Marshall said her student is an irreplaceable loss, but she's hoping community support can help the school heal. Leonel's younger brother also attends the school. “He always had a smile on his face and he always walked his little brother down to his class. He was a great big brother," she told us.  She is hoping an online campaign to fund a soccer goal can be a tribute a student lost to soon. 

"In his short ten years, he definitely had a lot of positive impact. I think it was his smile and genuine spirit," said Marshall. 

 

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