Chadbourn woman charged in deaths of four children

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A woman has been charged in the death of four girls who died in a housefire at a home north of Chadbourn on August 30th.

28-year-old Reagan Noelle Powers was charged today with four felony counts of involuntary manslaughter and four felony counts of child abuse.

WWAY was there when investigators were combing through the debris of the burned structure, trying to piece together what happened.

The warrant alleges that Powers committed “a grossly negligent omission… leaving her residence” and her children in the care of an 11-year-old.

That 11-year-old and another child were able to escape from the home, but the four youngest children — 7-year-old Kalani, 6-year-old Kendall, 4-year-old Josephina, and 2-year-old Sophia Melvin — died in the fire.

The warrant goes on to say Powers’ “act and omission resulted in serious bodily injury, death” to the children.

Powers was booked at the Columbus County Detention Center just before 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, and she bonded out about an hour later.

On Tuesday, officials said the cause of the fire remained officially undetermined but that investigators found no evidence to suggest the fire was started intentionally.

Several agencies are part of the investigation, including the Columbus County Fire Marshal’s office, the Columbus County Sheriff’s office, the office of the State Fire Marshal, and the SBI.

In a statement this week, the children’s father, Patrick Ellis, said, “My heart is shattered beyond words at the loss of my daughters.”

Tuesday night, more than 100 people showed up for a memorial service at a funeral home in Chadbourn to show their respects.

A Celebration of Life service for the children is scheduled for 2 pm Saturday at Worley Mortuary in Fairmont.