x
Breaking News
More () »

'I can't believe it' | Lincoln County family mourns 7-year-old killed in fire

"Why God punishes good people? We've already been through so much and he was such a good boy," Jaxon's aunt said.

MOSCOW MILLS, Mo. — A Lincoln County family is mourning the loss of a 7-year-old boy killed in a house fire.

A relative told 5 On Your Side that everyone had just been gathered around the table for Thanksgiving. They would have never imagined that that would be the last time they would see him alive.

"It was real nice, everybody just sat at the dinner table. I just can't believe it," said the victim's aunt Aliyah Strenkowski, who also lived in the home.

RELATED: 7-year-old boy killed, 4 injured in mobile home fire near Moscow Mills

After a day spent giving thanks, Strenkowski is now asking 'why?'

"Why God punishes good people? We've already been through so much and he was such a good boy," Strenkowski said.

A fire tore through Aliyah's Moscow Mills home along Blue Bunting Circle early Saturday morning.

Her 7-year-old nephew, Jaxon Parks, was killed in the blaze.

"He was supposed to sleeping in this first room but firefighters had found him in our bathroom trapped under part of the roof," she said.

Firefighters say 9 people were able to safely make it out of the home.

"From what I'm told, my brother had just ran in screaming for everybody, busting down the doors just tryna get everybody," Strenkowski said. "But I was told that cops wouldn't let him back in for his sons."

Jaxon's father Devin got some help from his neighbors next door.

"We just tried to help him as much as we could and he was running in and out the building but he couldn't do nothing," said neighbor Kevin Jordan. "You couldn't see 2 inches into the building because of smoke, so there was only so much we could do too, so if he couldn't see in there, we couldn't see." 

Their efforts proved to be no match for this fire.

"He was just a really good kid," Strenkowski said.

the cause of this fire is still under investigation. The family has started a fundraiser to help them rebuild and for funeral costs.

We're excited to share with you that we've launched an all-new and improved mobile app designed for our most important audience: You. DOWNLOAD THE NEW 5 ON YOUR SIDE APP HERE! The new phone and tablet app boasts a modernized look and feel that complements what you see during broadcasts, and we've made it easier than ever to find the information you care about most.

OTHER LOCAL STORIES

RELATED: 2 women killed in crash in St. Charles Friday; dog who ran from scene found after search

RELATED: Police looking for man seen in photos robbing Fields Foods cashier

RELATED: Police looking for duct-taped van in connection with elderly woman found dead in St. Louis house fire

RELATED: Children jump to safety from East St. Louis apartment fire

Before You Leave, Check This Out