Mom dies from burns that also took son

The mother who tried to rescue her 4-year-old son from a fire at the family's mobile home died Tuesday morning from her burns.

Christie Everett, 25, died at Bronson Memorial Hospital from injuries she sustained while trying to save her son, Joe.

The child's body was found in a back bedroom of the home, located in Lee Township.

Although he ruled out anything suspicious, Sgt. Scott LeRoy of the State Fire Marshal's office said he may not be able to determine the exact cause of the fire.

But investigators got a clue from Everett moments after rescue crews arrived at her burning home. She told fire officials her son may have been involved in setting the fire, LeRoy said.

Although both parents smoked, he found no evidence of smoking materials.

Flames engulfed everything in the back bedroom where the blaze started, including evidence investigators needed to figure out what started the fire.

The floor and the metal springs from a mattress were all that was left once the fire was put out.

It was a neighbor who saw the smoke and ran to the home, finding Everett standing outside and screaming that her son was inside.

The neighbor broke down the mobile home's door but was forced back by smoke and flames. Next, he ran to his own home to call 911. By the time he hung up, a severely burnt Everett was at his door.

A 2-year-old girl was in the trailer at the time of the fire but was not hurt. Everett's husband was away and their two other children were in school when the blaze broke out.

Donations to the family can be sent to following address:

Donations to Everett family
c/o VFW Post 6134
PO Box 151
Pullman, MI 49450