December 14, 2007, at 2 a.m., more than 25 Long Beach Firefighters responded to a house fire just northeast of downtown.
A space heater inside a converted garage that did not have the required permits or smoke detectors caused the blaze. Within minutes, firefighters were on the scene administering life-saving assistance to three young girls inside the home.
Six-year-old Stephanie Aviles and sister Jasmine Aviles, 10, were taken to local hospitals, where they died. Seven-year-old Jocelyn Aviles would perish the following morning.
Pat Wills, an investigator on the cases, was greatly impacted by the loss of young life. His book, “The Reality of PTSD: When Children Die” details the emotional impact of the case, as well as emphasizes how following city guidelines is necessary to ensure all construction projects are safe.
You can find Wills' book here. All proceeds from the book go towards LBFD Kids and cystic fibrosis.
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