FAMILY MOURNS 5 CHILDREN KILLED IN WATTS FIRE.Byline: Mary Beth Alexander Daily News Staff Writer Standing before a row of five small, ivory-color coffins, Maurice Burnett said what has saddened him most since a fire killed his little brothers and sisters is the silence. There are no more squeals of excitement when Burnett opens the front door of his mother's home. Gone is the clatter clat·ter v. clat·tered, clat·ter·ing, clat·ters v.intr. 1. To make a rattling sound. 2. To move with a rattling sound: clattering along on roller skates. of children dashing back and forth through the house. ``The hardest thing will be walking upstairs and noticing no children in bed. It's just empty,'' said Burnett, 24. ``I sat downstairs on the couch On the Couch is an Australian television program formally broadcast on the Fox Footy Channel and it focuses on the current issues in the AFL. This is now broadcast on Fox Sports after the closure of Fox Footy Channel. The show airs on Monday night and is hosted by Gerard Healy. , and was noticing (there were) no kids running up and down the stairs Adv. 1. down the stairs - on a floor below; "the tenants live downstairs" downstairs, on a lower floor, below .'' Through tears, Burnett spoke of his sorrow Friday evening during a memorial service for his two brothers and three sisters, all killed last week when fire engulfed a converted garage in Watts, where the children had gone to wrap Christmas presents with relatives. Burnett was among about 30 relatives, friends and community members who gathered at the Greater Cornerstone Baptist Church in South Central Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. to mourn mourn v. mourned, mourn·ing, mourns v.intr. 1. To feel or express grief or sorrow. See Synonyms at grieve. 2. the deaths of Danielle Smith Danielle Molles Smith is one of five martial artists who developed the women's self-defense system known as "Model Mugging" and is the current head teacher dojo cho of Aikido of Monterey in California. , 8; Alexis Curtis, 7; Alexandria Curtis, 6; and their brothers Alan Curtis Alan Curtis may refer to:
The children died Dec. 20. Their mother, Sabrina Burnett, 41, and the father of four of the children, Alan Curtis Sr., were badly burned. Family members have blamed a portable electric heater for the blaze. Fire officials said they have not determined the cause. The father remained hospitalized Friday. Sabrina Burnett was home, but in too much pain to attend the service, relatives said. She is expected to attend the funeral scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the church, 5946 S. Figueroa St. The service is open to the public. The sanctuary Friday was filled with the sound of gospel music played by an organist, as relatives lingered in front of the row of coffins, each decorated with a flower arrangement - pink for the girls, red for the boys. Many bowed their heads and cried. During the service, family members said they appreciated the outpouring of support they have received since the tragedy. Evangelist evangelist (ĭvăn`jəlĭst) [Gr.,=Gospel], title given to saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The four evangelists are often symbolized respectively by a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle, on the basis of Rev. 4.6–10. Maudine Clark, of the Morning Star Baptist Church where Sabrina Burnett and her children attended, said the family's Christmas was solemn. Burnett's surviving seven children, she said, opened gifts with little excitement, and were distracted and somber throughout the day. ``It affects the whole family,'' Clark said. ``It leaves a void in your life.'' |
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