Arizona parents suspected of child abuse charged after skeletal remains discovered in home fire

An Arizona couple was arrested Wednesday and are facing several 
charges, including concealing human body parts and child abuse 
after firefighters responded to a fire at their home and 
discovered skeletal remains in the attic.

Just hours earlier, social workers from the Arizona Department 
of Child Safety removed two children -- ages 9 and 4 -- from the 
house.

Their removal occurred one week after officers from the Phoenix 
Police Department got a call from an 11-year-old girl who said 
she was home alone. The girl was removed from the house by 
social workers from the Arizona Department of Child Safety who 
suspected child abuse, police said.

On Wednesday, at around 2:07 p.m., firefighters descended on the 
house again after they were called about an ensuing blaze.

The children's father, Rafael Loera, attempted to stop 
authorities from coming in the house by telling them the flames 
were isolated to the fireplace, but the firefighters entered 
anyways, Phoenix fire Capt. Rob McDade told NBC News.

McDade added that if they had arrived at the scene five minutes 
later, the entire house would have been engulfed in flames, 
resulting in irreparable damage.

After putting out the flames, a department arson dog sniffed 
gasoline on the walls and floor, leading firefighters to the 
attic where they uncovered the human skeletal remains, McDade 
said.

It is unclear how many children lived at the house.

Loera, 56, was arrested and charged with concealing human body 
parts, endangerment, child abuse and arson, police said. The 
mother, 50-year-old Maribel Loera, was arrested on suspicion of 
child abuse.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/arizona-parents-charged-child-
skeletal-remains-home-fire