'I Wish I Could Trade Places With Her': Family Of Woman, Child Killed In Fire Speaks To WJZ

BALTIMORE (WJZ)– A mother and her 5-year-old daughter are dead after a fire spread through their northeast Baltimore home early Wednesday.

Tonight, the woman's other daughter, 4-year-old Layla, is in critical condition at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She is on life support and in a coma, her tiny body badly burned.

Devastated loved ones of Layla, her mother Alicia Evans and her 5-year-old sister Amani spoke exclusively with WJZ's Amy Yensi Wednesday.

"This just really, really, really hurts," said Alicia's cousin.

"It hurts extremely bad," said Alicia's mother through tears. "I wish I could trade places with her."

"I'm just going to miss those girls," said another cousin. "Amani had the biggest smile. The most gorgeous smile."

Officials say crews were dispatched to the 700 block of East Coldspring Lane just after 1 a.m. and worked incessantly until knocking down the flames.

Afterwards, the frantic search began for survivors upstairs, and panic started to set in.

"We have two children! We're bringing them out now!" one first responder can be heard shouting on the 911 tape.

But it was too late. Now, what should be a happy time of the year, the heartbroken family is wishing for a Christmas miracle.

"Layla's strong," said a cousin. "Courageous little girl. I know she's going to pull through. And all the family is here and we're going to wrap our arms around her and just pray."

Evans reportedly graduated from Baltimore's Mercy High School in 2010. The school posted on Facebook Wednesday night expressing shock and sadness.

The father of the two girls lives in Indiana and is on his way to Baltimore to be with Layla.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family. You can find it HERE.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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