Kathryn, Kaleb, Kristian, and Kasper Ribera.Photo: Go Fund Me
Four young children and their grandmother were tragically killed in a house fire that engulfed a Pennsylvania home late Thursday evening.
Rosemarie LaBarre, 53, and her four grandchildren — who were between the ages of 2 and 7 — were killed in the fire, which broke out around 11 p.m., the Monroe County Coroner’s Office tells PEOPLE.
At the time of the fire, LaBarre had been “left to care for her grandchildren,” officials say.
All five individuals were pronounced dead at the scene, Pennsylvania State Police said in anews release, noting that their preliminary investigation indicated the fire was “accidental in nature with nothing suspicious being observed at the scene.” An investigation is ongoing.
Ribera family.Go Fund Me
“It’s just devastating,” McCormic, who has also organized aGoFundMefor the family, told the newspaper.
“Those four little kids were everything to her,” she added, identifying the kids as Kathryn, Kaleb, Kristian and Kasper Ribera.
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LaBarre was a beloved member of the East Hills Middle School community, having taught at the school since 2008, according toThe Express-Times.
“It is just a brutal tragedy,” Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Joseph Roy told the newspaper. “It was a shock.”
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The school district has also confirmed that two of the children were homeschooled elementary students, per WFMZ.
Atributeshared over the weekend recognized LaBarre for her involvement in a local children’s ministry.
“Mom, I love you so much [heart emoji] I had this planned to post today before everything, and I am so so glad I did,” her daughter Markiewroteon her own Facebook page on Monday.“I would not be who I am today without you,” she added. “And as much as this hurts, there is some comfort in knowing you escorted our babies to heaven and had a beautiful reunion with Pappy [heart emoji].”
Those interested in donating to the Ribera family’s GoFundMe, which has raised over $110,000 as of Monday morning, can do sohere.
source: people.com
