Judsonia house fire claims life of 11-year-old girl

JUDSONIA, Ark. – A house fire in White County had a tragic end after officials said it claimed the life of an 11-year-old girl on Monday afternoon.

The White County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) said in a Tuesday release that county 911 was called at 3:55 p.m. with a fire report in the 100 block of Beacon Way in Judsonia. When deputies and firefighters arrived, they found the home engulfed in flames.

Officials said responders were told the girl was in the home as they arrived. Fire departments from Judsonia, North White County, Gum Springs and Searcy ultimately extinguished the fire, but not before it claimed the life of the girl.

According to investigators, the body has been sent to the state crime lab for an autopsy. WCSO detectives are processing the scene and interviewing witnesses, they said.

Investigators added that a joint investigation by the Arkansas State Police Fire Marshall’s office and WCSO investigators will attempt to find the cause of the fire and if there is any crime connected to it.

Officials said the girl was a student in the local school district. The release about the fire did not include the girl’s name or family details.

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