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DPD: Man arrested for allegedly causing fire that killed mother, child in apartment above

A 5-year-old girl and her mother are dead after a fire at an apartment complex in Detroit. Oct. 8, 2019. (WDIV)

DETROIT – Police have made an arrest in connection with an apartment fire on Detroit's west side that killed a mother, her 4-year-old daughter and sent her 7-year-old son to the hospital.

The fire started Tuesday evening at an apartment complex in the 9500 block of Brace Street. Family members have identified the victims.

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Star and Mylah "Princess" Milligan (right) with family. (WDIV)

A 24-year-old man is in custody and is expected to be charged for intentionally setting a fire because he was mad at his girlfriend. Police said he started the fire by setting clothing on a stove in his girlfriend's apartment Tuesday night.

That fire moved into the upstairs apartment, trapping a family of four in their apartment. The Detroit Arson Task Force confirms that 31-year-old Star Milligan was found inside a back room trying to shield her daughter, Mylah, from the smoke and fire. The mother and child did not survive. Her son, 7-year-old Mikell, was hurt.

The target of the deadly case of arson, the suspect's girlfriend, was not home at the time of the fire. Investigators said her boyfriend was sending her a message.


About the Authors
Shawn Ley headshot

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.

Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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