Sentencing for mother charged after fatal Gary fire killed 2 kids expected
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Gary woman whose two young children died in a 2018 fire is expected to be sentenced Monday.
Kristen Gober, 34, is expected to plead guilty to multiple counts of neglect before her sentencing.
Investigators said Gober left her three children alone for hours in March 2018 to be with her boyfriend. While she was away the kids allegedly started a fire on the apartment stove.
According to court documents, Gober's 6-year-old son Justen, said the fire started after he and his 4-year-old half-brother, Kristopher, put a blanket on the stove. Justen told police all three kids hid under a blanket before he ran away leaving Kristopher and 2-year-old Kailani alone in the apartment.
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The court document also revealed that Gober told police she went back to apartment to try to save her children. She said she heard the kids, but the flames kept her back so she left.
Gober was found at a McDonald's down the street. She said she never asked for firefighter's help. Instead she told police that she thought it was a lost cause. Gober claims she was doing laundry.
This was the same fire where an 8-year-old boy jumped from his burning fourth floor apartment, ultimately saving his own life.
Gober was charged with three counts of neglect and one count of possession of marijuana.
The children died of smoke inhalation.
