Police get warrants for two juveniles for Lakewood fire that killed mother and daughter

Police in Lakewood have warrants for two juveniles they believe are responsible for Monday's fatal fire at the Tiffany Square Apartments near 9th and Sheridan.

The early morning fire killed a 31-year-old mother and 10-year-old daughter and left ten injured, including three sent to the hospital.

"At this point, it does not appear that the mother and daughter, in particular, were targeted in this fire," said John Romero, Lakewood Police spokesman. "We're still talking to two people from the adjacent apartments to figure out if someone, in particular, was targeted or not."

Kathleen Payton and her daughter Jazmine Payton-Aguayo were trapped in their apartment. "My sister in law she would give anything to help anybody out," said brother in-law Juan Martinez. "She was a kind woman who would go to any extreme."

The girl was a 4th grader at Deane Elementary School in Lakewood. Notes were sent home and some families with children close to the girl were called.

"She was kind and smart. Funny and a good friend," said a young school friend who came to the scene with his family to remember Jazmine. "Big, big beautiful smile," Martinez said about the girl. "She could light up any room at any given time."

Police say they were still looking into how the juveniles started the fire, which happened in the early hours of Monday.

"As far as types of accelerant, that way they did it, we're still looking into that, but we are confident that we know who the two are that started this fire and killed that mother and daughter," said Romero. "It doesn't appear that it was drug activity that was the cause of this."

The warrants for the two boys are for first-degree murder and first-degree arson.

Romero added, "Our main goal right now is getting justice for Jazmine and Katy and that's what we're going to do."