3 fire victims' mom's boyfriend jailed

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - Shortly after the Monday afternoon fire in Kalamazoo that claimed the lives of three children, police arrested the alleged boyfriend of the children's mother.

Fred William Glespie Jr., 18, was arrested on an outstanding warrant related to driving on a suspended license last year. He's now being lodged in the Berrien County Jail.

Three-year-old fraternal twins, Taniyah and Tevin Williams, and their 1-year-old sister Tyonna Henderson died in the fire. Their mother attempted to enter the burning building to save them but was halted by the intense flames.

Police said no one was with the children when the fire started. Investigators have not released a cause of the blaze as their investigation continues.

Records show Glespie was arrested by Michigan State Police on the day of the fire. He has an address at Interfaith Apartments, where the fire happened.

He listened in via telephone connection from the jail to a Wednesday afternoon hearing during which Children's Protective Services workers successfully petitioned to have the sole surviving sibling of the fire victims temporarily removed from the care of their mother, 25-year-old Jonetta Woods.

The placement order for the surviving 4-year-old child prohibits any contact with Glespie, who is reportedly not the father of any of Woods' children.

Woods and her family members have contended since the day the fire happened that she did not leave the three children alone. They claim her boyfriend was supposed to watch the children while she left for a few minutes. A family member told 24 Hour News 8 Woods had left to repay a loan to a friend.

One of many 911 calls placed the day of the fire mentioned a boyfriend was seen near the apartment at the time of the fire.

"That's Jonetta's house!" the frantic female caller said to the dispatcher. "Her boyfriend was standing right there in front of that damn house!"

Glespie has a criminal past that includes convictions related to drugs, assault, domestic violence and various forms of theft. He was 13 years old when first convicted of a drug offense.

Woods' attorney, Dorphine Payne, has urged the public not to jump to conclusions as the facts of the case have yet to come out. In spite of two previous allegations that Woods left at least one of her children without adult supervision, Payne said Woods has never been found to have neglected her children.

Children's Protective Services workers have been involved with Woods at least three times in the past but never brought any case before the court until the fire.