Police: Suspect who set house on fire, killing 3 kids has been arrested

Police: Suspect who set house on fire, killing 3 kids has been arrested

Updated: 12:38 PM CDT Oct 19, 2023

AND WE WILL ENSURE YOU THAT THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. IT IS A TRAGEDY THAT HAS ROCKED OUR COMMUNITY. THREE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF TEN KILLED IN A HOUSE FIRE IN NEW ORLEANS EAST. THE CHILDREN’S FATHER, JOSEPH WASHINGTON, IS NOW CHARGED WITH SETTING THE FIRE AND LEAVING THE CHILDREN INSIDE BEFORE DRIVING OFF. NOW WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE ON THIS ARREST, THE HISTORY OF DOMESTIC ABUSE AND THE DESPERATE CALL THE MOTHER MADE TRYING TO GET HELP. WE BEGIN WITH WDSU REPORTER SHAY O’CONNOR LIVE AT THE SCENE WHERE A MEMORIAL IS GROWING. FAMILY MEMBERS ARE SHARING THEIR GRIEF AND NEIGHBORS ARE NOW REACTING WITH SHOCK AND SADNESS ABOUT THE EVENT. ALL RIGHT. JAY IS LIVE ON THE SCENE WITH MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. SHAY. GOOD EVENING TO EUGENE IN YEAH COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALREADY RALLYING IN SUPPORT AND FAMILY MEMBERS ARE ACTUALLY HERE ON SCENE RIGHT NOW PLACING FLOWERS AND CANDLES AT THE HOME WHERE THE THREE KIDS WERE KILLED. THEY TELL ME THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED AT THIS TIME. I’M ALSO HEARING THAT THE MOTHER OF THESE THREE KIDS LOVED THEM. UNCONDITION FINALLY, ONCE I HIT THE END OF MY HOLE, YOU COULD JUST SEE THE THE HOUSE ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT IS WHERE THE KIDS THIS NEIGHBOR WAS TOO SHAKEN UP TO BE SEEN ON CAMERA, BUT SAYS SHE WAS PRESENT WITH THE MOTHER OF THE THREE KIDS AS FIREFIGHTERS WORKED TO GET THE CHILDREN OUT OF THE HOME HERE ALONG AMERICA STREET, THERE’S THREE BABIES IN THAT HOUSE AND THEY BROUGHT ONE CHILD OUT. THE OLDEST, AND HANDED THEM TO MY HUSBAND, AND HE BROUGHT THEM TO THE LAWN. AND THEN THEY HANDED HIM A SECOND CHILD AND HE BROUGHT HIM TO THE LAWN. AND WE JUST KEPT SCREAMING, THERE’S STILL ANOTHER BABY IN THERE. OFFICIALS SAY THE FIRST TWO KIDS, A FIVE YEAR OLD GIRL AND AN EIGHT YEAR OLD BOY, UNFORTUNATE LEE, DIED AT A HOSPITAL EVENTUALLY, THE THREE YEAR OLD WAS RECOVERED FROM THE HOME. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD ON SCENE IN OPD, SAYS THE MOTHER OF THE THREE KIDS CALLED A LITTLE BEFORE MIDNIGHT FRANTIC, ALERTING THEM THAT THEIR FATHER, IDENTIFIED AS JOSEPH WASHINGTON, HAD MADE THREATS THAT HE WOULD BURN DOWN THE HOUSE WITH THE KIDS INSIDE. THIS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO CAPTURES THE MOMENTS WASHINGTON APPEARS TO HAVE WALKED FROM THE HOUSE WITH. IT’S STILL ON FIRE. WASHINGTON’S FATHER WAS SEEN AT THE HOME JUST HOURS AFTER THE FIRE, TRYING TO SALVAGE PICTURES OF HIS THREE GRANDCHILDREN. BEFORE PLEADING FOR HIS OWN SON TO TURN HIMSELF IN. JOSEPH TURN YOURSELF IN. THAT’S WHAT YOU BEST DO. TURN YOURSELF IN, JOSEPH. AND THAT AIN’T NO LIE. TURN YOURSELF IN, THIS MAN SAYS HE DID YARD WORK FOR THE COUPLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON IN WASHINGTON, SHOWED NO SIGNS OF FRUSTRATION AT THE TIME. ONCE I KNOCK ON THE DOOR, HE CAME TO THE DOOR, CALLED HER, AND SHE CAME TO THE DOOR. WE SPOKE. WE SPOKE AND EVERYTHING WAS CALM, COOL AND COLLECTED. I MEAN, THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD GO ON SEEING THE HOUSE IS IS IS SAD. IT’S IT’S IT SHOWS WHAT SOME OF THESE KIDS ARE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, AT HOME. JOSEPH WASHINGTON IS NOW CHARGED IN THIS CRIME. BUT NEIGHBORS SAY THIS IS A DAY THEY’LL NEVER FORGET. WE’VE SEEN THESE KIDS FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES AND WE HAVE TO SIT HERE AND LOOK AT THAT HOUSE AND KNOWING THEY LOST THEIR LIVES OVER THERE, THERE WAS JUST INNOCENT KIDS. THEY WERE BABIES. THEY WERE JUST HAPPY KIDS. AND IT’S JUST A TRAGEDY THAT OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY HAS TO DEAL WITH. NOW, WE’RE TOLD THE TWO OLDEST CHILDREN ATTENDED KIPP MORIAL, THE THE ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD RELEASED THIS STATEMENT THERE ON YOUR SCREEN THAT SAYS THIS MORNING WAS A HARD ONE AGAIN, FOR THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND PRAY FOR THE CHILDREN KILLED, THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. I’M ALSO TOLD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE HERE AT THE HOME. IT HAD GOTTEN SO BAD THAT NEIGHBORS IN THIS AREA KNEW THAT IF THEY SAW THE LIGHTS FLICKERING AT THE HOME TO CALL THE POLICE ON THE MOM’S BEHALF. REPORTING LIVE FROM NEW ORLEANS, SHAY O’CONNOR, WDSU NEWS. THERE IS A COMMUNITY MARCH GOING ON RIGHT NOW ON SAINT PHILIP STREET IN HONOR OF THE THREE VICTIMS IN THIS CRIME. WDSU REPORTER ELI BRAND IS ON THE SCENE AND HAS MORE ON HOW POLICE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE SUSPECT HERE. ELI. YES, ALINA, LET ME STEP OUT SO YOU CAN SEE THE PEOPLE GATHERING HERE FOR THIS MARCH. YOU CAN SEE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE GATHERING HERE, SETTING THE BACKDROP FOR THIS DEVASTATING DAY HERE IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. THEY’RE MARCHING AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE CITY ON THE SAME DAY, THREE CHILDREN APPARENTLY KILLED IN AN ALLEGED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT. POLICE GAVE AN UPDATE A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO NOW ABOUT EXACTLY HOW THEY CAUGHT UP TO WASHINGTON AND CAUGHT HIM. AND THEY SAY HE WAS ARRESTED AROUND 1140 AND HE’S FACING A LOT OF CHARGES, THREE COUNTS OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER, THREE COUNTS OF CRUELTY TO A JUVENILE, ONE COUNT OF AGGRAVATED ARSON. POLICE DID ADD THAT THOSE MURDER CHARGES COULD BE UPGRADED TO FIRST DEGREE LATER ON IF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AGREES TO IT. POLICE ALSO DETAILED WHAT LED UP TO WASHINGTON’S ARREST. THEY SAY HIS CAR EARLIER THIS MORNING WAS FOUND IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN GRETNA NEAR THE FERRY TERMINAL. YOU CAN SEE IT ON YOUR SCREEN, PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN THE RIVER. HE WAS NOT IN IT, THOUGH, THEY SAY LATER IN THE MORNING, THE NOPD VIOLENT OFFENDER SQUAD, THEY GOT INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE WASHINGTON WAS AND THAT HE WAS IN ANOTHER CAR. THEY EVENTUALLY CAUGHT UP TO HIM IN THE GENTILLY AREA ON I TEN NEAR ELYSIAN FIELDS. THEY SAY HE WAS ON THE ON RAMP TO GET ON TO I-610. THEY SAY HE JUMPED OFF TO TRY AND GET AWAY AT THAT LOCATION BUT INJURED HIMSELF. WASHINGTON WAS THEN TAKEN TO UMC FOR TREATMENT. WE SAW MULTIPLE POLICE THERE THIS MORNING AROUND THE TIME THAT HE WAS TRANSPORTED THERE. AND WE ALSO SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENTS ABOUT WHAT LED TO THIS. THERE IS A HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THERE. I’M NOT SURE IF ALL INCIDENTS WERE AT THAT EXACT ADDRESS. LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION AND IT’S STILL UNDER REVIEW. WE ALSO SPOKE TO THE FIRE CHIEF TODAY. HE DESCRIBED TO US THE SCENE. HIS FIREFIGHTERS WENT INTO, SAYING IT WAS DEVASTATING FOR THEM TO SEE WHAT THEY SAW. BACK TO YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT, ELI, THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT. AND WDSU INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER CASSIE SCHERM IS LIVE IN THE STUDIO NOW WITH A LOOK CLOSER LOOK AT THE SUSPECT’S HISTORY OF DOMESTIC ABUSE. ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTS. THAT’S RIGHT. WE JUST GOT NEW INFORMATION THAT NINE DAYS AGO, NOPD HAD SHOWED UP TO THAT HOME AFTER THE MOTHER OF THE CHILDREN CALLED 911, SAYING HER EX-HUSBAND, JOSEPH WASHINGTON, WAS THREATENING HER LIFE. NUMBER ONE WAS THE LOCATION OF THE EMERGENCY. IT’S 4911 AMERICA STREET, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. THIS CALL WAS MADE OCTOBER 9TH, NINE DAYS BEFORE POLICE BELIEVE JOSEPH WASHINGTON SET THE FIRE TO THEIR HOME, KILLING THE THREE CHILDREN. WE HAVE A PAST HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT HE’S LIKE SENDING ME THREATS, SAYING IF I COME BACK TO THE HOUSE AND MY KIDS ARE STILL THERE AND HE’S SAYING THAT HE WILL LEAVE THEM IN MY HOUSE AND HE TOLD ME NOT TO COME BACK TO THE HOUSE. IF I COME BACK TO THE HOUSE, HE’S GOING TO KILL ME. HERE’S WHAT WE’VE UNCOVERED. SO FAR. JOSEPH WASHINGTON HAS A LENGTHY HISTORY OF ABUSE THAT STARTED IN 2015 WITH HIS THEN WIFE AND MOTHER OF THE THREE CHILDREN. WASHINGTON WAS CONVICTED OF DOMESTIC ABUSE AND BATTERY AT LEAST TWICE IN 2016 AND WAS ARRESTED ON THE SAME CHARGES IN 2018. IN 2018, THE MOTHER FILED FOR A RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST WASHINGTON, CLAIMING HE REPEATEDLY HIT AND CHOKED HER AND OFTEN ATTACKED HER WHILE SHE WAS HOLDING THE CHILDREN. IN THAT DOCUMENT, THE MOTHER WROTE, QUOTE, JOSEPH SAID, QUOTE, WHO SHOULD I KILL FIRST, YOU OR THE KIDS? THEN HE STARTED TO CHOKE ME, PUSHED ME BACK AGAINST THE WALL AFTER HE THREW ME ON THE FLOOR WHILE THE BABY WAS IN MY HANDS AND REPEATED TO CHOKE ME. HE DRAGGED ME TO THE BACK TO LOOK FOR HIS GUN. AND WHEN HE COULDN’T FIND IT, HE SAID, QUOTE, I DON’T NEED A GUN TO KILL YOU. I MADE AN ESCAPE TO THE FRONT OF THE DOOR TO SCREAM FOR HELP. THE MAIL LADY CALLED THE POLICE IN THE DIVORCE, FILING. A YEAR LATER, IT STATES THAT AFTER THE MOTHER GOT OUT FREE, THE KIDS WERE STILL INSIDE STATING, QUOTE, THE DEFENDANT, WASHINGTON, THEN YELLED OUT TO THE PETITIONER, THE MOTHER, THAT HE WILL SET THE HOUSE ON FIRE. THE DEFENDANT THEN TURNED THE STOVE ON, CAUSING THE SMOKE TO FILL THE HOUSE. BY THE TIME POLICE ARRIVED, HE WAS THEN ARRESTED. WHEN POLICE ARRIVED, THE JUDGE THEN GRANTED THE DIVORCE AND GAVE THE MOTHER FULL CUSTODY. NOW WE’VE PUT IN MULTIPLE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS TO SEE IF NOBODY HAD BEEN CALLED TO THAT SAME HOUSE EARLIER THIS YEAR. AND WDSU INVESTIGATES ALSO TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES FROM THIS MORNING. I’M GOING TO SEND IT OVER TO AUBRY KILLION FOR THOSE DETAILS. HEY, CASSIE. SO LET ME WALK YOU THROUGH THE EXACT TIME THAT CALL CAME IN. ACCORDING TO OPCD. TAKE A LOOK. THAT FIRST CALL, IT CAME IN AT 11:55 P.M. POLICE SENT OUT A BROADCAST SHORTLY AFTER NOFD WAS DISPATCHED AT 1209. POLICE. THEY WERE DISPATCHED AT 1215 EMS. THEY WERE DISPATCHED AT 1218. POLICE GOT ON SCENE AT 12:20 A.M. FIRE. THEY GOT ON SCENE AT 12:14 A.M. AND EMS EVENTUALLY ARRIVED. AT 12:29 A.M. HERE’S THE MOTHER’S LATEST CALL AND A WARNING IT IS HARD TO LISTEN TO, BUT IT SHOWS HER FIGHT TO SAVE HER CHILDREN WASN’T. 911. WHAT’S THE LOCATION OF YOUR EMERGENCY? HI. 4911 AMERICA STREET, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. HE’S GOING CRAZY. HIS NAME IS JOSEPH. CAN YOU PLEASE HURRY? I’M AT WORK. WHAT’S GOING ON? HE’S SCREAMING ON THE PHONE. I HEARD THE KID. SCREAMING. HE’S SCREAMING ON THE PHONE. Y’ALL HAVE TO JUST BREAK THROUGH THE DOOR BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPENED. PLEASE. HE SAID HE ABOUT TO BURN A HOUSE ON FIRE. CAN YOU JUST PLEASE HURRY? AND TODAY, WHEN POLICE WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR RESPONSE TIME, THEY SAID IT’S STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. AN EMS SAYING TODAY IT WAS AN 11 MINUTE RESPONSE. THEIR GOAL IS UNDER 12 MINUTES TO ANY HIGH PRIORITY CALL. BACK TO YOU. SO HEARTBREAKING, AUBRY, THANKS. FOR MORE ON TH

Police: Suspect who set house on fire, killing 3 kids has been arrested

Updated: 12:38 PM CDT Oct 19, 2023

The man accused of setting a house on fire in New Orleans East early Wednesday morning, killing three kids, is in custody. New Orleans firefighters received a call about the fire around 11:55 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Orleans Parish Communication District. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they were told three kids were unaccounted for. They soon found two of the kids in front of the home.A 5-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy were rescued from the home but died at a hospital. The body of a 3-year-old boy was also found inside a home. He died at the scene. The mother was reportedly on her way to the home and was not there when the fire started.Ring camera footage shows a man, later identified as Joseph Washington, leaving the scene of the fire and driving away in a black car.Gretna police say Washington drove the car into the Mississippi River near the Gretna Ferry Terminal. Washington was taken into custody this afternoon after attempting to flee by jumping off the overpass and transported to University Medical Center. He is being charged with three counts of second-degree murder, three counts of second-degree cruelty to a juvenile and one count of aggravated arson. WDSU obtained the 911 call, which shows the mother of the three children trying to help them. WDSU also obtained time stamps from OPSC. The call came in at 11:55 p.m.Police broadcast it on the radio at 11:59 a.m.Police dispatch unit out at 12:15 a.m.Fire dispatch 12:09 a.m.EMS dispatch 12:18 a.m.Police on scene at 12:20 a.m.Fire on scene at 12:14 a.m.EMS on scene at 12:29 a.m.When asked about the time response, police say that it is still under investigation. WDSU investigates also looked into the history of Washington and the mother. They got married in 2014, and she later divorced him five years later. In 2018, the mother filed for a restraining order against Washington, claiming he repeatedly hit and choked her and often attacked her while holding the children.Court documents show Washington had a lengthy history of domestic abuse. Documentation shows he had threatened to kill his then-wife and kids before. Washington was convicted of domestic abuse and battery at least twice in 2016 and arrested in 2018 on the same charges. This is a developing story. WDSU will continue to update as information is provided.

NEW ORLEANS —

The man accused of setting a house on fire in New Orleans East early Wednesday morning, killing three kids, is in custody.

Hearst Owned

New Orleans firefighters received a call about the fire around 11:55 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Orleans Parish Communication District. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they were told three kids were unaccounted for. They soon found two of the kids in front of the home.

A 5-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy were rescued from the home but died at a hospital. The body of a 3-year-old boy was also found inside a home. He died at the scene. The mother was reportedly on her way to the home and was not there when the fire started.

Ring camera footage shows a man, later identified as Joseph Washington, leaving the scene of the fire and driving away in a black car.

Gretna police say Washington drove the car into the Mississippi River near the Gretna Ferry Terminal.

Washington was taken into custody this afternoon after attempting to flee by jumping off the overpass and transported to University Medical Center.

He is being charged with three counts of second-degree murder, three counts of second-degree cruelty to a juvenile and one count of aggravated arson.

WDSU obtained the 911 call, which shows the mother of the three children trying to help them. WDSU also obtained time stamps from OPSC.

• The call came in at 11:55 p.m.
• Police broadcast it on the radio at 11:59 a.m.
• Police dispatch unit out at 12:15 a.m.
• Fire dispatch 12:09 a.m.
• EMS dispatch 12:18 a.m.
• Police on scene at 12:20 a.m.
• Fire on scene at 12:14 a.m.
• EMS on scene at 12:29 a.m.

When asked about the time response, police say that it is still under investigation.

WDSU investigates also looked into the history of Washington and the mother. They got married in 2014, and she later divorced him five years later.

In 2018, the mother filed for a restraining order against Washington, claiming he repeatedly hit and choked her and often attacked her while holding the children.

Court documents show Washington had a lengthy history of domestic abuse. Documentation shows he had threatened to kill his then-wife and kids before.

Washington was convicted of domestic abuse and battery at least twice in 2016 and arrested in 2018 on the same charges.

This is a developing story. WDSU will continue to update as information is provided.