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A wake was held for the Staten Island mother and her four young children who
died as the result of a murder-suicide and fire that ravaged their home. Mourners are still wondering how the tragic turn of events could have occurred.
Leisha Jones, 33, the mother, allegedly slit the throats of three of her children -- C.J., 14, Brittany, 10, and Melony, 7 -- then sat with them as a blaze engulfed their two-story house. Jones and her 2-year-old toddler, Jermaine, died of smoke inhalation.
Upon an initial investigation of the case, police suspected that the oldest child, C.J., killed his siblings and set the blaze because of his fascination with fire. Police also found a straight razor under his charred body.
After further probing, though, medical examiners ruled C.J.'s death a homicide and Leisha's demise as a suicide.
The wake was held at a Brooklyn funeral home and was attended by friends, family members, teachers and kids from the children's schools. The five caskets were arranged in a semicircle around the viewing room. All of the caskets were closed, except for toddler Jermaine, whose coffin remained open.
Jones' sister, Sharon Scott, is still dazed by all that has happened over the last two weeks. She told the New York Daily News:
"My sister is innocent. There won't ever be peace, not until they find out the truth about who killed the family."
Another relative, Teron Johnson, 17, who attended the wake, recalled the warm memories he had of the children, in particular C.J. and Jermaine:
"He was a good kid," Johnson said of C.J. "And the baby loved his mother."
A graveside service will be held Aug. 5 at Glenwood Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
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