Young mom, 9-month-old dead before fire started at Connecticut home: cops

An infant and his young mother, both of whom were found dead in a Connecticut house fire, were not alive when the blaze broke out inside their home last week, police said.

First responders on Wednesday were called to battle flames at the residence in Wallingford, located approximately 14 miles north of New Haven. When they arrived on the scene, officers discovered 24-year-old Justin Varnado outside the residence and suffering from severe burns.

He was airlifted to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries days later.

The bodies of both 19-year-old Karizmah Johnson and their 9-month-old child, Kylenn (Jasir) Varnado, were found inside the burning home on the second floor. While authorities initially suspected they were killed in the blaze, further investigation revealed the mother and son “were deceased prior to the fire,” according to an update shared by law enforcement on Monday.

“The manner and cause of death is pending from the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,” police said. “The cause and origin of the fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal. The investigation is criminal and active.”

According to NBC Connecticut, Varnado was at the residence at the time of the fire despite being the subject of a protective order barring him from being near the home. He was arrested on March 25 on domestic violence charges, including second-degree breach of peace and risk of injury to a minor.

He was held on a $5,000 bond and arraigned in Meriden Superior Court.