Suspect in Houston child care center fire extradited to U.S. from Nigeria

[News_Editor]

Suspect in Houston child care center fire extradited to U.S. from Nigeria

2011-03-22 02:59:44 GMT+7 (ICT)

ATLANTA, GEORGIA (BNO NEWS) -- Jessica Tata, the woman suspect in the Houston child care center fire that killed four children, on Monday arrived to the U.S. after being extradited from Lagos, Nigeria.

According to KHOU television, Tata, 22, arrived at about 5:00 a.m. local time and was booked into the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia. She will be sent to Texas shortly, escorted by U.S. Marshals.

On Saturday, Tata was detained in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, by Interpol and U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Agents. She is expected to be charged with manslaughter, reckless injury to a child, abandoning a child and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

On February 24, four children were killed and three more were injured due to a devastating fire at a Houston, Texas home child care center. The incident was caused by a pot of oil left on a burning stove.

Tata, the owner and operator of Jackie's Child Care was not present at the moment the fire broke out. She went shopping and left the children unattended. Days later, the 22-year-old woman left the country.

After that, the case was referred to the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force. Tata was added to the 15 Most Wanted fugitive list on March 4.

"When Jessica Tata chose to flee from the consequences of her actions that left four innocent children dead, we made her capture a top priority," said Geoffrey Shank, U.S. Marshals Service Acting Assistant Director of Investigative Operations Division.

Tata will face trial in Houston. Texas state law prohibits one individual caring for more than six children older than 18 months. As a registered family home, the facility is allowed to care for 12 children.

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