21-year-old woman accused of killing a grandma, two kids in fire, Michigan cops say

A 21-year-old woman has been arrested after a grandmother and her two grandsons were killed in a house fire earlier this month, Michigan officials say.

Abbieana Williams was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of arson following the deaths of Melissa Westen, 53, Aston Griffin, 8, and Jesse Kline IV, 4, according to the Lansing State Journal.

The fire occurred late Sept. 3 at a Lansing home where firefighters found flames coming from front and side windows, WLNS reported. Firefighters discovered a “wall of fire” when they got inside the home, according to the Detroit News.

Officials first believed the fire was accidental, but tips led them to begin an arson investigation, according to WLNS.

Details about a potential motive for the arson have not been released.

Maria Perez, the aunt to the boys and daughter to Williams, told WLNS her mother tried to save Aston and Jesse by putting them in the bathtub and turning the water on because they were unable to leave the bathroom.

Westen and her grandsons were buried Monday, with more than 100 people in attendance, the Lansing City Pulse reported.

“Lansing is wrapping its love around you, now and well into the future,” former Lansing Mayor Birg Bernero said during the service, according to the City Pulse. “We love you, we support you, we pray God’s grace and light will shine upon you and carry you through this difficult time, as though on the wings of eagles. All of Lansing grieves with you.”

On obituary for Westen states she “loved her grandchildren, music, dancing, travel and had an encyclopedic knowledge of movie trivia.”

The boys were known for being “active and inquisitive” and their love for superheroes, obituaries state.