MILWAUKEE -- On Tuesday, May 24th, FOX6 News told you the family of 18-month-old Marshaun Franks Jr., who was killed in a house fire at 45th and Center in Milwaukee hasn't been able to lay him to rest -- nearly a month after the fire, which happened on May 5th. That's because the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office hadn't released the boy's body. On Wednesday, May 25th, FOX6 News received an update. The boy's body was released.
Marshaun Franks Jr.'s funeral has again been rescheduled, and is now set for June 1st.
Marshaun Franks Jr.
Officials with the ME's Office were waiting for DNA results to come back from Madison.
Franks Jr.'s family members were upset it was taking so long for them to be able to get closure in this case.
"I have nightmares of him screaming. I have nightmares of the house on fire. I can't get him out of my mind up in that house," Cherie Franks said.
Franks knows that the pain her family experienced on May 5th will never go away. She said being able to say goodbye to her grandson and lay him to rest would help her and her family to heal.
Fatal fire near 45th and Center
"That`s part of our closure," Franks said.
The ME's Office could not release Franks Jr.'s body until DNA confirmation came back from the state Crime Laboratory. A spokesperson with the ME's Office said the boy's body was not visually identifiable so DNA had to be tested, which can take awhile.
The boy's family said it took much longer than they were told it would.
"And it's like, we`re reliving it over and over," Franks said.
Franks said the family had to reschedule the boy's funeral twice.
"It's hard, and I just want it to be over so that when we get past that we can move on. I just want want them to give me my grandbaby so he can be laid to rest," Franks said.
Marshaun Franks Jr.
Officials with the Milwaukee Fire Department say it's believed this fire started when one of the children who escaped that day was playing with matches or a lighter.
They are reminding people of the importance of having working smoke detectors in their homes, as this home did not.
Marshaun Franks Jr.