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GREENSBORO, N.C. (TCD) — A 29-year-old mother faces second-degree murder charges related to the deaths of three of her children who died in a fire in late 2022.
On the morning of Dec. 12, 2022, the Greensboro Police Department, fire personnel, and Guilford County Emergency Medical Services responded to 2518 Grimsley St. to a report of a structure fire. Officials contained the flames and discovered three children dead inside the home.
According to WGHP-TV, the victims, a 4-year-old and two 1-year-old twins, were home alone when the fire erupted. They reportedly were trapped inside the residence and died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
After interviewing neighbors and using surveillance footage from the area, investigators reportedly determined the children’s mother, Brandi Sturdivant, wasn’t home early that morning. A neighbor returning home from work noticed smoke and flames at around 7:48 a.m. Minutes later, Sturdivant allegedly knocked on a neighbor’s door seeking help.
Sturdivant subsequently drove her vehicle to the dead end of Grimsley Street and attempted to make a three-point turn when she was met by police, WGHP reports. She was transported to the hospital.
According to WGHP, family members told investigators at the scene that Sturdivant had six children, but the oldest didn’t live with her. Her relatives also mentioned they had filed numerous complaints with Child Protective Services about Sturdivant, such as horrible living conditions, abandonment, and no supervision.
Two months before the fire, Sturdivant allegedly left her children home alone so she “could go out at night.”
Sturdivant told investigators she and all of the children slept in the master bedroom, according to WGHP. Instead of using the baseboard heat in the winter, Sturdivant reportedly said she used the stove in the living room to keep her home warm, which she blamed for the fire.
An autopsy later showed one of the children had cocaine in their system, WGHP reports. Sturdivant reportedly admitted to having cocaine in her home and explained to police where she kept it. She was initially charged with three counts of felony child abuse and two counts of felony parole violation.
On Monday, March 11, Greensboro Police charged Sturdivant with three counts of second-degree murder on top of her existing charges. She remains held in the Guilford County Detention Center and was scheduled to appear in court for the new charges on Tuesday, March 12.
According to a warrant obtained by WGHP, since 2016, in addition to a complaint filed by police after the fire, the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services received a total of nine complaints about Sturdviant.
Sturdivant had previously been charged with misdemeanor child neglect in September 2022 after one of the twins was allegedly found covered in feces. The children were removed from the home for eight days and returned. Two months later, an individual complained about the children being left unsupervised, WGHP reports. The case is still under investigation.
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