Mother Charged in Aug. 30 Deaths

The mother of the four girls killed in a structure fire Aug. 30 has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony child abuse.

Reagan Noelle Powers, 28, faces four charges each of involuntary manslaughter and felony negligent child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury. She was released on $400,000 secured bond Wednesday after being processed into the jail around 2 p.m.

Powers was not in the home when fire broke out in the early morning hours of Aug. 30. Four of her children — Kalani, Kendall, Josephina and Sophia Melvin, ages 2,4, 6, and 7– were inside. Two 12 year old girls, including. Their older sister, escaped.

The building was engulfed when first responders arrived about nine minutes after the 911 call.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.

The girls will be eulogized Saturday in Fairmont. A memorial was held Tuesday at Worthington Funeral Home in Chadbourn. Saturday’s service will be at 2 p.m.  at Worley Memorial in Fairmont.

This is a developing story.