Nationwide — Eight years after an arson fire killed four young African American sisters from Flora, Indiana, their mother, Gaylin Rose, still seeks answers. No arrests have ever been made and the case remains unsolved.
On the night of November 20, 2016, Rose put her daughters to bed and fell asleep downstairs. Around 3 a.m., she woke to flames and the sound of her daughters screaming. She tried to reach them, but the intense heat and smoke forced her back. Unable to save them, she ran outside to get help.
Emergency services received a 911 call at 3:35 a.m. Rose suffered severe burns and was airlifted to Eskenazi’s burn center. Her daughters died from asphyxiation and carbon monoxide inhalation.
The fire was first ruled “undetermined” but was later declared arson when investigators found accelerants throughout the home. Despite ongoing investigations and promises from Indiana State Police, no arrests have been made.
The house was demolished in 2023, but the pain remains for Rose and the community. She continues to seek justice, saying she still doesn’t understand what happened that night.