Newsroom
A devastating house fire has left a young mother and her three children, all diagnosed with autism, without a home, exposing what appears to be another troubling delay in state support for families already in crisis.
The blaze tore through the residence of 31-year-old Maria, a single parent raising children aged 13, 11 and 9, reducing the house to an uninhabitable shell. According to her account, the fire started from a space heater and quickly spread, leaving the family with nothing but what they could salvage.
Maria said the family had already been under the supervision of the Social Welfare Services, as they were struggling financially before the disaster. Now, she says, their situation has become unbearable.
After the fire, she tried reaching out for help. A staff member informed her that her assigned case officer had changed. Her attempts to contact the new officer, she said, have gone unanswered.
Unsure how to move forward and caring for three children with special needs, the mother says she has turned to volunteers and members of the public for support, especially to repair or replace the destroyed home.
The case has caused concern online and among community groups, raising questions about how quickly vulnerable families can access assistance when emergencies strike.
Meanwhile, the family remains in limbo, waiting for help that cannot come soon enough.
