Thread: TX Woman charged in day care fire has fled to Nigeria

Houston, Immigration, DHS, TSA, ICE... FAIL

By LINDSAY WISE and TERRI LANGFORD
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
Feb. 28, 2011, 10:43PM

A woman charged in connection with a fire that killed four children last week at a Houston day care has fled the country and is now in Nigeria, Houston Fire Department officials said Monday.

HFD has requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service to locate the day care’s operator, Jessica Rene Tata, 22, and return her to the U.S., said Assistant Fire Chief Lisa Campbell.

A law enforcement official who did not want to be identified said Tata left the U.S. for Nigeria on a Delta flight from Atlanta on Saturday night, about 24 hours before she was charged with recklessly injuring a child.

"How in the hell did they let this happen?" asked a furious Tracy Storms, grandmother of 3-year-old Shomari Leon Dickerson, who died in the fire. "She killed four children. That was enough to keep her in custody. She was negligent for seven children and she killed four. This is ridiculous."

Seven children were in Tata’s care at the home-based day care she operated in west Houston when a fire broke out Thursday. Four of the children died. Two are being treated at Shriners Hospital for Children-Galveston in critical but stable condition.

Investigators believe the fire started on top of the electric stove in the kitchen, where a pot filled with oil had been left unattended, according to court documents. The documents allege that Tata had left the children without any adult supervision at the time.

The charge Tata faces is a second-degree felony punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. Bond was set at $500,000.

Campbell explained that arson investigators have full police power to make arrests within the department’s jurisdiction, but HFD did not receive a signed warrant until Monday afternoon, two days after Tata reportedly left Texas en route to Nigeria.

Arson investigators first brought what they thought was convincing evidence to the DA’s office on Friday morning: in-store video showing Tata at a nearby Target, shopping at the time of the Thursday fire. They also had two eyewitnesses say Tata drove up to the day care, when it was already on fire.

But the DA’s office told HFD to keep investigating, said Fire Marshal Richard Galvan, who oversees HFD’s arson investigation division.
Jumping through 'hoops'

Arson investigators returned Friday afternoon, Saturday and then on Sunday, when charges were finally filed by the DA’s office. By that time, Tata was gone.

"This is the first time I’ve experienced the hoops I had to go through with the DA," said Galvan.

Campbell said she’s sure the department will review policies and procedures in the wake of Tata’s escape.

"The biggest room is room for improvement, so we’re always re-examining our policies and procedures," she said. "We’re going to be having a discussion (Tuesday) and we’re probably going to be looking at the case closer and trying to get our arms around what’s happened and what’s going to be happening moving forward."

Donna Hawkins, spokeswoman for the DA’s office, said in a written statement that an arson investigator swore in affidavit required to seek a criminal charge on Sunday at 9:49 p.m.

"Subsequently, it was presented to a magistrate who found the affidavit insufficient," the statement said Monday. "Further information was requested from the Arson Division, and today a new affidavit was drafted and presented which was signed by a magistrate."

Later Monday, Hawkins said in an interview, "the state had to establish there were no other employees or adults on site at the time the defendant left the residence."

Alfredo Perez, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service in Houston, said Tata’s case was turned over to the federal agency Monday afternoon by HFD investigators.

"We’re looking for her," Perez said. "We’re actively working this case as a fugitive investigation."

Jordan J. Paust, a University of Houston Law Center professor, said the U.S. and Nigeria have an extradition treaty. It was unclear Monday night how that treaty may apply in Tata’s case.

Pot of oil blamed

Charging documents released Monday quote an arson investigator, T. Wood, who said the fire started on top of the stove in the kitchen, where a pot containing oil had been left unattended on the burner.

Two witnesses reportedly saw Tata drive up to the residence in the 2800 block of Crest Park and "within seconds" they heard her screaming and saw smoke coming from inside the building, the documents say. The witnesses said Tata was the only adult or employee at the day care at the time.

In addition to Shomari, 3, of Houston, the children killed in the fire were Elizabeth Kajoh, 19 months, of Cypress; Kendyll Stradford, 20 months, of Katy; and Elias Castillo, 16 months, of Houston.

Chronicle reporters Brian Rogers, Susan Carroll and Jessica Faz contributed to this report.

lindsay.wise@chron.com
terri.langford@chron.com

Child Caretaker Facing Criminal Charge is in Nigeria
Left via flight from Atlanta; Bond is $500K

Updated: Monday, 28 Feb 2011, 6:06 PM CST

* DAMALI KEITH

HOUSTON - First on FOX: A source tells FOX 26 News the woman facing a criminal charge after last week’s fatal child care center fire has left the country and is in Nigeria.

The Houston Fire Department tells FOX 26 News that 22-year-old Jessica Tata left the country over the weekend. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Tata left through a flight out of Atlanta on Saturday.

Tata is said to be a native of Nigeria, and she may be looking to reunite with family there.

The U.S. Marshals Office is working to bring her back to Texas to face a felony criminal charge, but she is not yet in custody.

In the meantime, new information is out as to what may have started the fire that killed four children under Tata's care last week.

According to probable cause documents filed Sunday , an arson investigator observed an electric stove with a pot containing oil on the burner. It's believed the burner was left on, and it was the heat source for the fire.

The day of the fire, two witnesses told HFD investigators that they saw Tata pull into the driveway and go through the front door. Seconds later, she came back outside screaming about the fire inside. Responding firefighters noted that there did not appear to be any other supervisors with the children.

Tata faces one felony charge of reckless injury to a child, and her bond has been set at $500,000.

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/news/lo ... e-arrested

Nine more charges made in tragedy
DA denies that delay in filing let woman skip out
By TERRI LANGFORD and PEGGY O'HARE
HOUSTON CHRONICLE
March 1, 2011, 11:52PM
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photo
Billy Smith II Chronicle

Lykos vigorously defended her staff against what she called "outrageous allegations" criticizing their handling of the Tata investigation.

Experts: Extradition from Nigeria could take a year, even if Tata caught quickly
Read fire chief's statement: Request for charges denied on Sunday morning

Nine more charges were filed Tuesday against a fugitive sought in a deadly day care fire while an outraged Harris County district attorney fired back at criticism that her office's due diligence allowed the woman to flee to Nigeria.

Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos dismissed suggestions that prosecutors in her office unreasonably delayed filing charges in the case as "outrageous," noting her staff handled the matter correctly.

"Our staff conducted itself professionally and appropriately," Lykos said of the sequence of events that led to criminal charges against Jessica Rene Tata after the 22-year-old had already left the country Saturday. "Everyone in our office who's been involved in this investigation has my full and complete confidence. I'm deeply disappointed that certain people have chosen to cast blame in the media."

Jackie's Child Care, operated by Tata in west Houston at 2810 Crest Park Lane, caught fire Thursday, killing four children and injuring three more.

Lykos, who announced nine more charges against Tata on Tuesday, adding to one already filed on Sunday, took issue with reports that her office moved too slowly after being notified Tata was a flight risk before the day care operator fled the country.

"These public statements are unprofessional and they're counterproductive. What we need to do is to have Ms. Tata in custody," Lykos said.

Flew out of Dallas

On Sunday, after three days of calls between arson investigators and prosecutors, one charge of reckless injury to a child was filed against Tata. But by then, Tata, a U.S. citizen born in Harris County, had already left the country. She boarded a plane to Nigeria in Dallas, one day earlier.

The Houston Fire Department on Monday said they had approached prosecutors by Saturday with evidence that Tata was negligent. That evidence, they said, included a Target video showing Tata was shopping when the fire broke out and receipts from her purchases at the store.

Each time, HFD Executive Assistant Chief Richard Galvan said they were told to continue investigating because their evidence did not rule out the possibility that another staffer or adult was at the day care at the time of the fire. If there was another adult, then that person could have been held liable and been charged.

Galvan also told the Chronicle this week that arson investigator Ruben Hernandez notified assistant district attorney Steve Baldassano on Friday that he had a tip that Tata was preparing to leave the country and was a flight risk.

Galvan said the prosecutor's reaction was to instruct them to get more evidence.

"It was a little frustrating for us," he told the Chronicle and added that his investigators could not have detained Tata on their own. That ability rested with the DA's office, Galvan said.

Lykos indicated that was untrue, emphasizing that arson investigators are law enforcement officers and can act accordingly.

"There is no such thing as an investigatory or an investigative hold under our law," Lykos said. "If you believe that there's probable cause to believe felony has been committed — if you see a misdemeanor committed on view like that — you have an absolute right to arrest."
Timeline of events

HFD spokesman Pat Trahan late Tuesday released a timeline of events, but did not respond to Lykos' comments.

Lykos' office prepared six new charges of reckless injury to a child and three charges of child endangerment Tuesday. If Tata is located and extradited back to the U.S., she could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of any injury to a child charge and two to 10 years in prison if convicted of any child endangerment charge.

The district attorney also cautioned the public to be careful about donating to charities soliciting funds for the fire victims after revealing that Tata's brother, Ronald Houston Tata, had created such a charity on Monday called Houston Benefit of Day Care Victims.

"I would urge the Tata family instead of filing a DBA and raising money — and who knows where that money is going to or how it's going to be accounted for — that they have Ms. Tata return to Harris County and face justice," Lykos said.

Ron Tata declined to comment Tuesday, saying his sister's lawyer has instructed their family not to speak to the media.

As investigators continued efforts to find Jessica Tata, more records emerged on Tuesday showing she moved from school to school as a teenager because of discipline problems.

She was kicked out of Welch Middle School in the Houston Independent School District in 2000 and sent to the discipline alternative program. She then transferred to Katy ISD and had to attend the alternative school there for part of eighth grade. After exiting to McMeans Junior High, she hopped from Katy's Taylor High to Mayde Creek High to Raines High and graduated from Mayde in 2006.
Family in Nigeria

Information from Tata's Facebook page indicates that she has family in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt. A cousin who lives there, in response to an e-mail from the Chronicle, said early Tuesday morning he had not been in contact with her.

"Wat exactly happened. Not heart 4rm jessy 4a while cos am in nigeria," wrote G-uncle Chisom Ovunda. "Maybe u shud send her a message via fb. I wud hav sent u her mobile but i need due clearance 4rm her."

If Tata is located in Nigeria, Lykos said she did not see any problem with her being extradited immediately. She also urged Tata to come back to Texas.

"If you cared at all about those children," Lykos said, "then return."

Chronicle reporter Ericka Mellon contributed to this report.

terri.langford@chron.com
peggy.ohare@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/met ... 52300.html

"Tata, a U.S. citizen born in Harris County, had already left the country. She boarded a plane to Nigeria in Dallas"

Is there a chance she is an anchor?

A woman charged in connection with a fire that killed four children last week at a Houston day care has fled the country and is now in Nigeria, Houston Fire Department officials said Monday.

Tata should have been held without a bond, due to nature of crime and flight risk; however, she can always be extradited back to the U.S. from Nigeria.

Tata, a U.S. citizen born in Harris County and
Tata is said to be a native of Nigeria

Now how does that work?

Originally Posted by jamesw62

Tata, a U.S. citizen born in Harris County and
Tata is said to be a native of Nigeria

Now how does that work?

Hmm, that is a real eye opener James!!!

Originally Posted by jamesw62

Tata, a U.S. citizen born in Harris County and
Tata is said to be a native of Nigeria

Now how does that work?

I wondered the same thing.

Dixie

OBOZO policies at there best. That's what I believe.

It is a known FACT most internet phishing operations are based in Nigeria and ripping off US citizens for millions every year. Shame on the Obzoz administration.

Or does he and Bernake have a smooth way to break the bank again?

Originally Posted by lccat

"Tata, a U.S. citizen born in Harris County, had already left the country. She boarded a plane to Nigeria in Dallas"

Is there a chance she is an anchor?

Possibly, Tata were born in the U.S. but, family are illegal immigrants is reason she or they fled to Nigeria...