A Fatal Fire Leaves A Family In Shock and In Heartbreak

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – Investigators are trying to determine what started an apartment fire that killed Shayla Swain, 24, and one year old Serenity Cox.

The fire broke out midnight at a unit in Lane Drive Apartments.

West Point Fire Chief Ken Wilbourne says four people were inside at the time of the fire.

The children’s father and a two-year old were able to make it out in time.

“From what we’ve been told, a gentleman woke up. The living room was full of smoke. He couldn’t get out but one way. He went out the back door, went around the house, found his wife, she handed him one of the children and she went back in after the infant that was inside.”

Three other apartment units were impacted by the fire.

Wilbourne says there was a smoke detector inside the apartment where the fire started, but it wasn’t working.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office and West Point Police are helping work the case.

A family member tells WCBI, not only did the family lose Shayla and Serenity, but also the unborn baby Shayla was carrying.

The tragic deaths leave a community in shock and in heartbreak.

“We were here at 4 o’clock this morning, while I watched my niece get carried out and I’m out there about to pass out.”

Brenda Barnes says she was very close with her niece, Shayla Swain, and says she can’t believe she’ll never see her again.

“We can’t believe this. We really can’t. We can’t believe she’s gone. I just talked to my niece yesterday. I told her, ‘Okay, y’all come on and get in the pool. I’m going to bring the puppy, now.’ And she said, ‘Okay T.T., I love you.’ And I said, ‘I love you too.’ That’s the last conversation me and her had.”

She says the young mother was sweet and loving and had gone through a lot over the last year.

Barnes says one-year old Serenity spent most of her life in the hospital fighting for her life because of health problems.

“Serenity had been home about two months and then she had to go back. They had to re-rush her back to LeBonheur Hospital, so she stayed up there maybe a week, and then they let her come back.”

The aunt says since the baby’s release, she has been using an oxygen tank.

Barnes also says this isn’t the first time their family has been hit with devastating loss.

“My grandson was the first one, Jashawn Johnson, #24, then her mother died on July 3rd, her baby died last year in July, so this is really a tragedy upon this family.”

“Everybody is crying. The family is all upset. We’re missing her. We’re missing everybody that we have done lost. We need prayer and we really do for this family.”