"They're holding up:" Outpouring of love for victims in tragic fire near 36th & Silver Spring

MILWAUKEE -- Police say they know who set fire to a home on 36th and Silver Spring that killed a two-year-old girl and left seven others, including children, homeless. While they focus on the investigation, the community focuses on the family in need.

The suspicious fire occurred in the overnight hours of Tuesday, October 20th.

Tae'najah Morgan's grandmother Robbin, is overcome with emotion every time that reality sets in that her two-year-old granddaughter is gone.

"It hurts me because I cherish my kids, I don't let my kids go anywhere and the one time I do let her go she don't come back home," said Lakeashah Rice, Tae'najah's mom.

Rice says her daughter was spending the night with family, her sister, nieces, nephews and mom, when the fire started.

 

"I never hurt nobody, she never hurt nobody so why do we have to suffer like this? Why do I have to suffer? It's hard," said Rice.

After the community saw the aftermath of the tragedy that took Tae'najah Morgan's life, they responded quickly with donations.

"People always want to shoot our city down but then when there are tragedies, look who's picking the city back up: the community," said Shalonda Ezell.

Shalonda Ezell gave the community a place to donate, a storefront at 4512 West Burleigh Street, and the donations just started pouring in.

"I got over 400 calls within 48 hours from not just Milwaukee -- West Bend, Racine, Texas, California," said Ezell.

Clothes for the children, toys, and long term items are being donated as well.

"Kitchen dinette table sets...refrigerators, stoves, headboards -- anything that you need for a home. Again, the community is really showing so much love to this family," said Ezell.

And from Ezell's brief interactions with them, she says she can tell it's really helping. Not just the items, but the outpouring of love and support itself.

"Once I brought them here yesterday, they just got very emotional. And it's understandable to get emotional -- they're holding up," Ezell said.

Now, as Tae'najah's family waits on news from the hospital and plan a funeral for a little girl, they cling to each other and the memories they have left.

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses.

You can also reach out to Shalonda Ezell at 414-202-8385.