According to investigators, a Florida man is accused of killing two young children before setting fire to their home.
On Friday, Nov. 7, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) investigators went to a “tragic fire,” in which “a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old were found deceased,” according to a Facebook post.
Sheriff Chip Simmons said in a video update that the incident took place in a trailer on Flaxman Street.
The officer confirmed that both children were deceased before the fire began, and one had been sexually molested.
The suspect has been identified as John Henry Walston, Jr., according to an ECSO Facebook post. According to jail records, the suspect is 27 years old and is presently being held without bond.
The fire broke out at Grand Oak Mobile Home Park, according to local station WEAR ABC 3. The victims have been identified as Vayden Orum, 9, and Rayden Smith, 7, according to the site.
According to the sheriff’s office, the fire “was intentionally set after the children were killed,” according to a Facebook post.
“Evidence indicates that John Henry Walston, Jr. abused one of the children before killing both. “He then set the fire before saving himself,” it continued.
The message read, “This is a tragic and pointless act of violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with these children and their families during this unthinkable time.”
The ECSO announced that Walston had been charged with two charges of premeditated murder, one case of sexual assault on a minor under the age of twelve, and one count of arson.
In the video message, Sheriff Chip Simmons added, “I don’t know what else I can say about this terrible event except for please hug your children.”
Walston was reportedly one of two individuals treated at a hospital following the fire, according to WEAR ABC 3 News. The other was the mother of the children, who ran into the burning trailer, according to the site.
Tyler Smith, the victim’s father and stepfather to Vayden Orum, told the channel that the home belonged to Walston and that he had known the suspect for years.
Smith told WEAR ABC 3 News that the two youngsters were staying at Walston’s when the fire broke out.
“How can you expect any human being to do this?” he questioned, according to the source. “Let alone an adult with two kids.”
According to neighbor John Wenzel, the victims’ mother entered the trailer in an attempt to retrieve them. That is a mother’s love…. That’s why she’s in the Mobile Burn Center. She walked inside the house to retrieve her children, but it was too hot. “They finally got her out of there,” according to the station.
According to the publication, the suspect has also been charged with killing an animal after a dog was discovered dead inside the property. Walston’s first court appearance is due on November 26.
PEOPLE called the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for more information, but they did not answer immediately.
