Janaina Pio Ferreira, a 30-year-old South Carolina woman, faces eight counts of unlawful conduct toward a child for allegedly running an illegal daycare and leaving eight young children unsupervised in her North Charleston apartment during a fire on March 12, 2026.
She was arrested after arriving with more children as firefighters discovered the unattended kids; the blaze, caused by a faulty stove knob igniting a backpack, was extinguished by sprinklers with no injuries.
Incident Overview
North Charleston police and fire crews responded to Arbor Square Apartments on Otranto Road around 2:30 p.m., finding the children alone amid smoke.
Fire Chief Deputy Christian Rainey noted kids sometimes play with stoves, narrowly avoiding tragedy.
Investigators confirmed the illegal operation after parental contact.
Charges and Status
Ferreira is held on $200,000 bond ($25,000 per count) at Al Cannon Detention Center, with a court date set for May 1.
Local childcare owner Tiffani Lockwood criticized parents trusting unverified facilities as “Russian roulette.”
