By Ramesh Santanam
The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — The mothers of five children killed in a house fire were ordered Friday to stand trial on involuntary manslaughter and other charges for leaving the youngsters alone while they went to a bar.
A judge found there was sufficient evidence against Shakita Mangham and Furaha Love, both 25, for them to be tried on five counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of making false reports to police.
They also are charged with recklessly endangering firefighters who responded to the blaze and endangering the welfare of children.
Prosecutors said Mangham initially told police the children were left with a baby sitter the night of the June 12 fire. She later acknowledged she had given investigators false information to avoid getting into trouble and because she wanted to attend funeral services and remain available for her surviving son, according to a criminal complaint.
Love also said she knew there was no baby sitter, and that the children had been left in the care of two 8-year-olds, police said.
A lawyer for Mangham has said she will fight the charges, while an attorney for Love has said she was not to blame for the deaths.
The early morning fire was started by children playing with matches, authorities said.
Killed in the fire were three of Mangham’s children, Daekia Holyfield, 7; Cedano Holyfield, 4; Dezekiah Holyfield, 3; and two of Love’s children, Azequel Rankin, 5; and Andre Rankin, 6. The 8-year-old boys — Javon Irwin and Huedon Chambliss — escaped uninjured-