Child Killed, Another Critically Injured In Aurora House Fire

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4/AP) - A toddler boy was killed and a girl seriously injured in a house fire in Aurora.

The boy died on the way to the hospital early Sunday. Neighbors said that he was about 3 years old.

A girl, who was said to be a baby, was taken to The Children's Hospital and is listed in critical condition.

Police said when they arrived within 2 minutes of the call the children's mother was on the street. She was reportedly hysterical and told officers her children were inside the burning home. Police couldn't get into the front door.

"They came across a distraught woman who was out in front of the home in the street pleading for assistance," Bob Friel with Aurora police said.

Police also couldn't get in the back door. They ended up pulling bars of a window on the side of the house and pulled out the boy and the baby girl.

The mother was treated for smoke inhalation.

There was enough suspicion to bring in arson investigators. Police are also conducting a child abuse investigation. Police wouldn't say where the mother was when the fire started, but she spent most of the day at the police station being questioned.

"What we're really focused on is what was occurring in this home prior to the fire in terms of adult supervision," Friel said.

Several neighbors told CBS4 they have seen the little boy who died running around the streets naked on multiple occasions without parental supervision. Police said they have been to the home previously, but wouldn't say why.

"I wish we could have done something more because I figured we were going to see them lying in the street," a neighbor said.

The neighbor said police have been to the home previously over a repeat problem with the boy.

"The little boy has been running before down the street naked a few times," the neighbor said.

Several items were taken from the home and the back of a pickup truck.

Two dogs were saved from the fire.

The mother and children have not been identified.

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