South Bend fatal fire survivor in 'critical condition' at Riley Children's hospital

Camille Sarabia and Jordan Smith, South Bend Tribune
·2 min read
11-year-old Angel Smith, who survived tragic fatal fire, is in "critical condition" at Riley Children's Health in Indianapolis.
11-year-old Angel Smith, who survived tragic fatal fire, is in "critical condition" at Riley Children's Health in Indianapolis.

SOUTH BEND — The 11-year-old survivor from a fatal residential fire is in critical condition, according to Courtney Taylor, the senior public relations associate at Indiana University Health’s Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis.

The eldest of six, Angel Smith was rescued by the South Bend Fire Department around 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 21, 2024, at her home on 222 N. LaPorte Ave. Her five younger siblings, the youngest at 17 months old, did not survive the fire.

Early response: State to help South Bend investigate the city's largest fatality fire in at least 37 years

Family friend Elijah Luciano is supporting her father, David Smith, with transportation to visit Angel in the hospital, according to his Go Fund Me page. Luciano is helping to raise money to replace belongings, such as clothes, hygiene supplies and a new vehicle, and to attempt to pay Smith's rent for the next six months to a year, so "he doesn't have to worry about anything other than taking care of Angel," he told The Tribune Tuesday.

“I know that he's in shock," Luciano said, "but we want to prepare as if Angel’s gonna come to with an able body, and she's gonna need to be occupied as well.”

Luciano said he and Smith plan to visit Angel on Wednesday and hope that during recovery she can continue with her hobbies. Luciana wants her to have a tablet and art supplies for her time in the hospital, he said, so she can draw and paint as she recovers instead of "sitting there watching the TV or sitting there not doing anything."

Luciano, an ordained pastor, said he believes that divine intervention will bring Angel back to good health.

"She's lost all of her brothers and sisters," he said. "When she does come through ... I'm trusting that God's gonna restore her 100%, to where she can think and walk and move."

The South Bend Fire Department and the Indiana State Fire Marshal's office are currently investigating the cause and circumstances of the fire.

Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia at csarabia@gannett.com.

Email Tribune staff writer Jordan Smith at JTSmith@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Fatal fire survivor in 'critical condition' at Riley Children's Health