Nationwide — Destiny Wilson, a 34-year-old mother from Virginia, died after setting herself on fire inside a Hampton home. Her 3-year-old daughter with disability also died after flames spread through the house.
Wilson poured gasoline on herself and set herself on fire around 7 a.m. inside a home on a quiet street in Hampton, said her mother, Tawana Wilson. Several family members were inside the house at the time.
As soon as the fire started, relatives rushed to help. They tried to pull Destiny into a shower in an attempt to extinguish the flames. Her daughter, Jamie Lee, was in another part of the home.
According to the Daily Mail, the fire spread rapidly through the house and reached the room where Jamie was. Hampton Fire & Rescue said the flames became too intense to rescue the child, who was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Fire crews arrived shortly after and found people still inside the burning home. They worked to bring the fire under control and had it contained by about 7:21 a.m., officials said.
Destiny was taken to the hospital with severe burns but later died. Her daughter, who had autism, cerebral palsy, and a condition that led to self-harm, did not survive the fire.
Her mother said Destiny had struggled with mental illness and the demands of caring for her child. She also said Destiny had previously been institutionalized and had made suicidal threats in the past.
Six people were inside the home when the fire broke out, including a 10-year-old child who survived the incident, according to reports.
A neighbor said he saw emergency vehicles speeding into the area and thick smoke rising from the home. He added that a large emergency response was already underway when he arrived nearby.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident through the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue’s Community Risk Reduction Branch and fire marshals.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with funeral costs, food, clothing, and shelter. It has so far raised over $4,400.