Edmonton police have charged two people in connection to the arson in southwest Edmonton that killed a five-month-old baby last Tuesday.
EPS received information that the fire started when outdoor patio furniture was purposely set on fire near the front door of the residence at 1040 Armitage Crescent around 4 a.m.
Bronson Woycenko, 19, Jessica Tammerand, 18, were arrested early Friday evening without incident, police said.
Woycenko was charged with second-degree murder, arson, disregard for human life, and two counts of mischief under $5,000. Tammerand was charged with arson, disregard for human life, and mischief under $5,000.
Cordell Brown, the homeowner and father of the baby killed in the fire, said Woycenko and Tammerand are former tenants. He evicted Woycenko three times, and Tammerand once, and the last time the two lived in the house they allegedly burnt down was around last February.
“The night they were evicted I found out they had stolen about a thousand dollars of stuff out of our house,” Brown said. “[They] caused damaged to the house, they stole food, and they kept smoking in the house, which is one of the strict rules that I have in all of the rental properties that I look after.”
But besides having evicted the teenagers multiple times, Brown says he has no idea why they set his house on fire.
“What motive wants to make you start a fire at 4 a.m. and kill people in the house? What could I have done to warrant that?” Brown asked. “Losing my son was my whole life, he was my whole life. He was the cutest baby you could possibly imagine.”
Police took Brown to the hospital on Friday and Saturday under the Mental Health Act.
“I’ve been in an emergency every single day,” Brown said. “I can’t cope, I honestly can’t cope. I can’t eat, I can’t breathe, I can’t think, I can’t do anything.”
Brown hopes EPS don’t consider him a suspect now that they have arrested Woycenko and Tammerand.
“I’m praying that I’m not a suspect anymore because I swear to God I had nothing to do with this fire,” he said.
Six of the eight residents were able to escape the blaze. Brown’s son, Hunter, died as a result of the fire. His wife, 29-year-old Angie Tang, is still in hospital in serious, but stable condition.
Tang’s sister-in-law, Judith Tang, sent out a statement on behalf of Angie:
“She is very touched by the outpouring of support from everyone, especially through the Go Fund Me page for her and Hunter. She is now aware of the arrests that were made and is beginning to consider decisions around Hunter's final resting place.”
With files from Jeremy Thompson
