BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. — A child has been found dead following a house fire Tuesday morning in Sampson City, according to authorities.
Firefighters with Bradford County Fire Rescue responded around 9:35 a.m. May 5 to a residential fire in the 12700 block of Southwest 84th Avenue. Crews arrived to find a trailer home fully engulfed in flames and immediately began suppression efforts.
After the fire was extinguished, responders discovered remains inside the home. Officials later confirmed the remains were those of a juvenile who lived at the residence.
Investigators said a 13-year-old who had stayed home from school that day was initially unaccounted for. Authorities have since confirmed the child was found deceased.
The Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Medical Examiner’s Office are conducting a joint investigation into the cause of the fire and the death.
Officials said the child’s mother was at work in Gainesville at the time of the fire and has been notified. She is currently staying with relatives.
The investigation remains ongoing.