The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

September 9, 2009

UPDATE: 2 charged, left kids alone during fire

By Monica Pryts

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP — A Hempfield Township couple was charged Tuesday for leaving the woman’s nine children home alone Sunday, when a mattress caught fire after one of them played with a lighter, officials say.

Tabatha S. Frey, 29, and Matthew A. Rainey, 28, both of 286 S. Mercer St., are charged with nine counts of endangering the welfare of children. Rainey is also charged with nine counts of possession of a controlled substance, police said Wednesday.

Arraignments for Ms. Frey and Rainey had yet to be scheduled as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the office staff of District Judge Brian Arthur, Greenville.

Jamestown Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire around 7:15 a.m. because Hempfield firefighters were assisting at the fire that destroyed Rainbow Valley Family Restaurant, Perry Township, Jamestown Fire Chief David Jones said.

One of the children, a 4-year-old boy, did admit to accidentally setting the mattress on fire while playing with a lighter in a second-story bedroom, Jones said.

No one was hurt and all nine children made it out of the home safely. The fire was contained to the bedroom and the upstairs isn’t livable because of smoke and water damage.

There was some water damage to the first floor and Jones said he didn’t know if the family returned to the home. Police said Mercer County Children and Youth Services are involved and may have placed the children elsewhere.

Ms. Frey is in the process of buying the home but Jones said he didn’t know if she has insurance. Firefighters from Transfer and West Salem Township assisted and they left the scene around 7:45 a.m.

According to the police complaint:

Ms. Frey and Rainey left for a party at 9 p.m. Saturday and Ms. Frey’s oldest child, a 13-year-old girl, was supposed to be baby-sitting.

Police and firefighters were called to the home, which is next to the police station, and discovered the children were home alone when the mattress caught fire.

Authorities later searched the home and found there wasn’t any food. Liquor bottles were scattered throughout the home, windows were missing from the children’s bedrooms and one of those bedrooms led to a second-floor porch that was caving in.

There were also rats in the kitchen and marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found in the couple’s bedroom with an access card that had Rainey’s name on it.

Rainey told police he and Ms. Frey were at a friend’s home downtown when the fire broke out and he smelled strongly of alcohol.

Ms. Frey said her daughter was supposed to be watching the other children. The girl later told police she had fallen asleep in the basement.

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