RICHMOND — A 33-year-old mother who already had lost two of her children and brother in a suspected arson fire Tuesday died Saturday from her injuries, authorities said.
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The blaze — one of two that were two houses and 30 minutes apart in the 200 block of 15th Street — had sent the woman to a hospital burn unit in Santa Clara County. Richmond police Lt. Joseph England announced her death in an email Saturday night.
The woman’s 47-year-old brother died at the scene; her 5-year-old son died in an ambulance en route to a hospital; and her 2-year-old daughter died Thursday at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland. Authorities in the criminal complaint identified the three as 47-year-old Jose Rivera, his 5-year-old nephew Andrew and his 2-year-old niece Arlette.
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The deaths bring the homicide total in Richmond this year to nine .
The Contra Costa County District Attorney on Friday charged 32-year-old Sergio Rivera-Vega with three counts of murder on Friday and is expected to add a fourth count on Monday. Rivera-Vega is suspected of setting the fire and also had been charged with arson causing great bodiliy injury before the woman died.
Police have called the tragedy “senseless and horrible.”
The family of the victims started a verified fundraiser for funeral expenses. Donations reached nearly $58,000 by Saturday night. It is seeking $70,000.
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