Neighbors mourn three siblings as police detail a timeline from the late-night 911 call to the suspect’s arrest.
NEW ORLEANS — A memorial of candles, flowers and stuffed animals spread across a front lawn in Plum Orchard on Oct. 18 after three children died in an overnight house fire that police say was intentionally set. Their father was arrested the same day.
The New Orleans Police Department said the blaze on America Street is being investigated as a triple homicide and aggravated arson. Detectives assigned to the Child Abuse unit and homicide section are building a case that spans multiple scenes, including a levee in Gretna where a suspect vehicle was recovered. The coroner is conducting autopsies to determine causes of death. City leaders and school officials offered condolences, and grief counselors were readied for students who shared classrooms with the children.
According to police, the sequence began at 11:55 p.m. on Oct. 17 when the children’s mother, who was away from the residence, called 911 and reported that her ex-husband threatened to burn the house. Shortly after midnight, firefighters arrived in the 4900 block to find heavy fire. Crews pulled a five-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy and attempted lifesaving measures before both were taken to a hospital, where they died. As they searched further inside, firefighters found a three-year-old boy who was pronounced dead at the scene. A neighbor’s camera captured flames building at the back of the home and a person leaving and driving away, investigators said. “Those kids were so young,” neighbor Bertrand Williams said, standing near the growing memorial.
Police identified 29-year-old Joseph Washington as the suspect and issued an alert citywide. Through the morning, officers searched neighborhoods and riverfront areas. A black Dodge Charger tied to the case was found partially submerged near the Mississippi River levee in Gretna. Not long after, officers took Washington into custody following a pursuit in which he jumped from an interstate overpass near Elysian Fields and was injured, according to police. He was treated at a hospital and booked on three counts of second-degree murder, three counts of cruelty to juveniles and one count of aggravated arson. The children’s names have not been publicly released. The department characterized the incident as arising from a domestic dispute.
Plum Orchard, a residential pocket of New Orleans East, has seen periodic structure fires in recent years, many occurring overnight when residents are most vulnerable. City fire officials have stressed that late-night ignitions can overwhelm occupants within minutes, especially in older homes with limited fire stops. In past seasons, neighborhood associations have helped distribute smoke alarms and coordinate safety checks, efforts that continued even as resources shifted to hurricane preparedness. Residents said Wednesday’s fire was among the deadliest in recent memory on the block.
Investigators said the next steps include collecting full 911 audio, mapping a minute-by-minute timeline from cameras on the street grid, and awaiting autopsy findings from the coroner’s office. Prosecutors will review the police reports to determine formal charges and court dates. If an indictment is sought, an initial appearance would be scheduled in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court. Detectives asked anyone with video from nearby streets to contact the case team as they verify movements of people and vehicles before and after the fire. Officials said additional briefings will follow when lab results and coroner determinations are complete.
As dusk fell, the smell of smoke still hung over America Street. Family members embraced near the charred doorway while neighbors paused to place balloons along the fence. “Turn yourself in, Joseph,” the children’s grandfather, Troy McDonnell, had said earlier in the day as officers searched. By night, the small memorial flickered beside the blackened house, steady in the breeze.
Detectives said the investigation remains active, with the next public update expected after autopsy reports are finalized and the case file is submitted for charging review.
Author note: Last updated December 26, 2025.