http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1361655/Hunt-woman-charged-daycare-killed-tots-flees-Nigeria.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

The woman charged over a fire that killed four toddlers at a daycare centre, has fled the country, it emerged tonight.
Twenty-two-year-old Jessica Tata has returned to her home in Nigeria just four days after the tragedy on Crest Park at Waypark in west Houston.
Fire Department Assistant Chief Michelle McLeod refused to reveal how she knew Tata had gone on the run.
But passport coding has verified she took a flight out of Dallas, possibly as early as Saturday afternoon.

The U.S. Marshals Service in Houston has been asked to help track her down, said spokesman Alfredo Perez

He added: 'Just because someone who is wanted flees to another country doesn't mean the United States isn't going to get them back and have them face justice.
'We’re looking for her. We’re actively working this case as a fugitive investigation.'

Perez confirmed that if Tata is in Nigeria, the U.S. will ask the country to arrest her.
Tata, owner of Jackie's Child Care, was charged with reckless injury to a child involving serious bodily injury. If convicted, she faces a sentence of two to 10 years in prison.
A warrant was issued for her arrest on Sunday by the Harris County District Attorney's Office and the bail bond was set at $500,000.

In an affidavit released today , investigators said Tata left the tots - aged 16 months to three-years-old - without adult supervision, while a pot of oil was left to burn on an electric stove.
Neighbours claim Tata had gone to a store and arrived at the centre - her one-storey private home - in her minivan with grocery bags.
They told investigators they heard her screaming seconds after she went in the front door and saw smoke coming from inside.
'Both witnesses said they saw no adults or employees of the day care either inside the building or running out other than (Tata),' said the affidavit.

Her bother Ron said: 'My sister is really torn up about all of this. At this point, I don't think she even knows about the charges.
'This is the first time I am even hearing about it. So I'm just hoping she turns herself in.'
Firefighters arriving at the scene last Thursday lunchtime found two injured children outside the home and five more trapped inside.

Three of the children, including Elizabeth Kojah, of Cypress, and Kendyll Stradford, of Katy, both 20-months-old and Shomari Dickerson, aged three, died on Thursday.
A fourth child, Elias Castillo, died on Saturday.
Emmanuel Kojah, who lost his daughter said he forgives Tata.

He said: 'You could feel angry, bitter, anything , you could kill her , but to what effect , those kids are already gone.'

Mr Kojah said he fed his daughter mango and changed her diaper Thursday morning before she went to day care.

He said: 'She hugged me really tightly. She was a beautiful child.'

Why?

OMG! Carelessness or what do i call this

i hope she dosent show up here as I will be the one to turn her in. What arrant nonsense. wasted innocent lives out of her stupidity and carelessness. I will catch her even without any price on her head. May the souls of the dead find peace in the Lord.

very sad, may souls of the little saints rest in peace and the lady, does she have a conscience atall?

THIS IS REALLY A SORRY CASE, BT, SHE SHOULD HAVE JUST WAITED TO FACE THE MUSIC. RUNNING TO NIGERIA WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. WHAT IF SHE'S AN AMERICAN?, WHERE WOULD SHE HAVE RUN TO?.

OUT OF FEAR OF UNKNOWN -JUSTICE THAT MAY BE MELTED ON HER, SHE RAN, WELL, SHE HAS SUCCESSFULLY SPOIL BUSINESS  FOR OTHER NIGERIANS WHO RUN SAME BUSINESS IN AMERICA,

SHE SHOULD JUST TURN HERSELF IN, THAT'S MY ADVICE FOR HER!

My heart bleeds as I read this story, four children at a go??!!  All because of her irresponsible and callous behaviour, she didnt even have the decency to wait and talk to investigators and family members of the deceased, this is a very useless woman indeed  

this is so unfortunate, I feel for her but she's just gotta turn herself in.

Eyah! I am sure she got scared but running is not the solution. Someone shoild pls advice her to go back and serve her time for carelessness! Nigerians, we think what we do in Naija is applicable everywhere? You leave toddlers in the house and go out, they do it all the time in daycares here too or they put innocent children to sleep with some cough syrups and continue with their own whatever. This is really sad, may the souls of these kids rest in perfect peace. My condolences to the parents. It is well.

Ikwikwikwi:

i hope she dosent show up here as I will be the one to turn her in. What arrant nonsense. wasted innocent lives out of her stupidity and carelessness. I will catch her even without any price on her head. May the souls of the dead find peace in the Lord.

Am sure you turned in alams when jumped bail,
@ topic
may the souls of the kids rest in peace

Omg such a tragedy! am sure she didnt mean for this to happen,she must like the childre,but for her carelessness

favouredjb:

Omg such a tragedy! am sure she didnt mean for this to happen,she must like the childre,but for her carelessness

I'm sorry to sound jugdemental but please this woman was very irresponsible and deserves no pity at all and to make matters worse she had the wicked nerves to flee!!! These are other people's children for crying out loud, she had no right to leave them all by themselves even if nothing happened, unfortunately something happened this time, something very horrible, FOUR children died

She has to go back and face the authorities.

this is so sad

What a waste. If she's in Nigeria, it'll be difficult for her to face her charges, not sure she'll be caught to face extradition. However, what she can't run away from is herself and the ghosts of what she's done.

na yankee u dey

no 'it is the will of God' over there

if she survives the criminal negligence/involuntary manslaughter police wahala,  

the lawsuits will kill her

What a pity, i pity this woman, and the Parents of those little kid that got killed in the process

yommyuk:

Emmanuel Kojah, who lost his daughter said he forgives Tata.
He said: 'You could feel angry, bitter, anything , you could kill her , but to what effect , those kids are already gone.'
Mr Kojah said he fed his daughter mango and changed her diaper Thursday morning before she went to day care.
He said: 'She hugged me really tightly. She was a beautiful child.'

Its unfortunate it involves lost of life(Innocent Children) but then we shouldn't crucify her unless she did it with intent. If one of the bereaved made the statement above why not you. What happened has happened and she will face the authorities someday but the way must of us see it is way of the mark.

yommyuk:


The U.S. Marshals Service in Houston has been asked to help track her down, said spokesman Alfredo Perez

He added: 'Just because someone who is wanted flees to another country doesn't mean the United States isn't going to get them back and have them face justice.
'We’re looking for her. We’re actively working this case as a fugitive investigation.'

This is Nigeria we are talking about. This woman would simply disappear if she runs to an unknown village anywhere in naija. Even if caught the system is so rotten that she could be released the next minute.

oyb:

na yankee u dey

no 'it is the will of God' over there

if she survives the criminal negligence/involuntary manslaughter police wahala,  

the lawsuits will kill her

tell them o. No excuses for running, but even after serving her time, the lawsuits go finish am

onto your hand OH GOD i rest their soul

Ikwikwikwi:

i hope she dosent show up here as I will be the one to turn her in. What arrant nonsense. wasted innocent lives out of her stupidity and carelessness. I will catch her even without any price on her head. May the souls of the dead find peace in the Lord.

why dont you go and catch all the looters in nigeria ? ewu nama

anyhow i think yall need to calm down. the girl is 22. this is the type of behavior expected of a 22 year old. the people i blame are the parents. why leave your precious cargo in the hands of a 22 year old ? at that age the brain is still trying to catch up to the instinctual and hormonal activity. the parents need to take full responsibility. i will never leave my child with any babysitter that is under 40 years old. (if i am desperate i can lower the age to 35 but thats it )

buzugee:

why dont you go and catch all the looters in nigeria ? ewu nama

anyhow i think yall need to calm down. the girl is 22. this is the type of behavior expected of a 22 year old. the people i blame are the parents. why leave your precious cargo in the hands of a 22 year old ?

Which 22 year old do you know that has been responsible for the death of babies . This 22 year old just happen to be foolish and dumb

What she did is inexcusable, how stupid do you have to be to have a pot on fire and leave kids that can crawl at home. It is just stupid stupid stupid!

Stupid lady and to make matter worse, she ran away. One thing is for sure, she will have no peace until she hands herself in, forever looking over shoulder she will.

at 22 i dont care if she was recommended by john the baptist, moses, abraham, king solomon or paul. she aint watching my child.

vanitty:

Which 22 year old do you know that has been responsible for the death of babies . This 22 year old just happen to be foolish and dumb

What she did is inexcusable, how silly do you have to be to have a pot on fire and leave kids that can crawl at home. It is just silly silly silly!

silly lady and to make matter worse, she ran away. One thing is for sure, she will have no peace until she hands herself in, forever looking over shoulder she will.

its a fifty-fifty dice. are you willing to roll it ? not me. truck loads of under 22 babysitters have been responsible for killing tonnes of babies. a familiar case is that of louise woodward the british au pair.

Mistake they say- "Has no master" and whatever will be will be no one could help it. Have u find out how long she has been incharge of that business or those children? Even most of u will do d same (I mean flee first) b4 any other thing, so i don't blame her for espaced.
Besides one of the parent has spoken what has happen as happened.
I'm nt supporting her carelessness though, but somethings happen unexplainble. I'm sure Love those children.
So pls stop crusifying her b4 they catch up with her.

Huh!, why can't she stay back and face the music, this is one of the black sheep that give Nigeria a bad name. The news is all over , I read

comments written under this news on yahoo and I couldn't hold back my tears.

She looks 35plus though,she had just spoilt business for other child-minders now, imagine,its umbelievable that a woman would leave children unattended to,being 22 is not the problem but her careless ways,i did child-minding even at age lesser than that,and i was and always been careful with kids,moreover the west is far from a place you can be be careless with kids or neglect,the laws are firm.

Her parents and siblings are in Houston and they have been co-operating with the authorities.

She will be found in Nigeria and be brought back to face the music.

I think she may even return of her own will cos it is in her own best interest.

She practically grew up in America so she cannot survive in Nigeria.  She is more American than Nigerian but the Nigerian factor is always more
prominent when negativity is involved of course.

Before we start judging her, let us look at the facts properly. How could she have left those kids in the house to go to a store? and the fact that she went with her van meant d store was not next door? but she should know that in america, you are not allowed to leave any kid under 14years of age alone at home and unattended to. if she was truly cooking and dashed to the store to get somethings then that is very careless of her and that truly is a case of reckless endangerment, she should be brought to book. May the souls of the kids rest in peace

OMG!!!! I just cannot believe this. I am shocked to my marrows. Jessica and I went to the same school in Houston. She is far from what the media portrays. She might have been careless but the Jessica I know is God fearing and very friendly. Why do bad things happen to good people?