Mother indicted in West Chester Twp. fire that killed 2 children, injured 2 others

A mother is facing charges in connection with a West Chester Township apartment fire that killed two of her children in September, according to the Butler County Prosecutor's Office.

Ashley Rhiles, 30, of West Chester Township, was indicted Wednesday on charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering children, court records show.

West Chester Fire Chief Rick Prinz has said the fire, which happened in an apartment on Aster Park Drive around noon on Sept. 17, started in one of the bedrooms.

Four children were found in the second bedroom unresponsive, though no adults were found inside. They were removed from the building less than eight minutes after personnel got there, Prinz said.

Alaiya Encarnacion, 2, and Bryson Brooks, 4, died at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center following the blaze, according to the Hamilton County Coroner's Office. The two other children were seriously injured but survived.

Authorities have said there was no adult in the apartment when the fire broke out.

Court records do not list when Rhiles is expected to appear in court for an arraignment.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Mother indicted in West Chester Twp. fire that killed 2 children