Mother of boy killed in fire tells suspects to ‘say his name’
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Two sisters were arraigned on Wednesday morning, accused of killing a 5-year-old boy by setting fire to a porch in Rochester.
Tiakalya, 21, and Taquida Hendrix, 31, were arraigned on second-degree murder and first-degree arson. They pleaded not guilty. The family of Malakai Stovall, the boy who died in the fire, was in the courtroom and wearing shirts with his picture in the courtroom.
As Taquida Hendrix walked out of the courtroom, Malakai’s mother yelled, “Malakai Stovall: say his name!”
The sisters were picked up by the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force Tuesday, eight days after that fire at a Portland Avenue duplex.
The sisters will be back in court for an appearance of assigned council on Friday at 10:30 a.m. Then, there will be a preliminary hearing on Monday at 11:30 a.m. The judge remanded them to the Monroe County Jail without bail.
The fire started around 2 a.m. Malakai was home with a babysitter at the time. He was rescued by Rochester firefighters from the second floor, but was critically injured and later died at the hospital.
Major Crimes Unit Capt. Frank Umbrino declined to go into a motive, but said Malakai and his family had no connection to the suspects.
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“This was intentional. This was the home that they intended to set on fire,” Umbrino said, adding the suspects do not have “lengthy records.”
Mayor Malik Evans said he met with some members of Malakai’s family last week and promised that they’d find the people responsible.
“This was absolutely senseless,” the mayor said, asking people to keep the boy and his family in their prayers.
“I pray that the justice system will bring judgment on the individuals responsible for this crime and that they have many, many, many years to sit and reflect on the life of the five-year-old that they took. They’ll be able to live to a ripe old age away from society but they’ll have that right that a five-year-old didn’t get a chance to have and I hope that they think about that.”
Mayor Malik Evans
Two firefighters were injured. One is recovering from back and rib injuries. The other has burns to his face. Both remain out of work. A Monroe County Grand Jury will decide whether to levy charges against the suspects in connection to the firefighters’ injuries.
After the fire, RPD announced a $5,000 reward. Whether the award will be given out is being reviewed, Umbrino said, noting tips from the public were crucial.
“The information we received from the public is certainly critical in us being able to stand up here today,” Umbrino said.
Malakai’s mother Brianna Akers, asked for a statement by News10NBC, sent the following message:
“I would like to say thank you to everyone that has helped find the people that did this to my son. I would also like to say to the people that would ever think that I would put my child in harm’s way intentionally or have a lifestyle that would put my child in harm’s way, you’re evil and I just want to be able to grieve and remember my baby boy, my only baby boy in peace. I think we deserve that.
“It was Malakai’s world, I was just living in it and it is going to take a mountain of support for me to even have a glimpse of happiness of what Malakai brought to me.
“And again I would like to thank the Rochester police department and fire department for doing their absolute best
“For the people that killed my baby, I hope you see my precious boys face every single day and every night before you go to sleep; I will see you at every court case and send you letters in prison to remind you of what you’ve taken from me. A stranger, yet you’ve taken my whole world away.”
MORE: A grieving family’s message: ‘Please bring justice to Malakai’