A South Carolina mother is charged in the death of her 6-year-old daughter 18 months after she set her house on fire in Union, according to Union Police.
Police said officers were called to a home on Second Avenue for a house fire with possible entrapment on November 25, 2020, at about 5:40 p.m.
Upon arrival, units found the house to be fully involved with fire already coming from the windows and front door. They said one burn victim, the child’s grandmother Barbara Newton, was outside the home.
The child was still inside the home.
Police said 32-year-old Carlene Ratcliffe set fire to her own home and left the house as her child was asleep inside. Newton was out shopping at the time of the fire and saw the fire once she returned home. She tried to run inside to rescue the child but was unsuccessful. Newton sustained serious burns to about 51% of her body. She was flown to the Augusta Burn Center for treatment.
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The heat radiating from the house made it difficult for firefighters and officers to enter the home. Two of them sustained burn injuries during the attempts. One officer suffered a burn to his left hand and a firefighter suffered a burn to his back and shoulders. Both were treated at the scene.
Once the fire was put out a child was found dead in the home who was identified as 6-year-old Caeli Ratcliffe.
According to the medical examiner, Caeli died as a result of smoke and soot inhalation.
After a long investigation, Ratcliffe was charged with the following charges:
- two counts of arson,
- one count of homicide by child abuse, and
- one count of murder.
According to an online obituary, Caeli was a kindergarten student at Foster Park Elementary School. She was an energetic and bright child who was enjoying her first year of school. She loved her Daddy and Mama and was never far away from her dog and side-kick, Butter.
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