June 27, 2025
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
A pregnant woman and her two young children were killed in a fire at a rowhome on the 2500 block of North Corlies Street in Strawberry Mansion on June 13. Two others were injured. Charles Sumpter, 67, and Fleitte Newell, 44, were arrested Wednesday and charged with homicide for starting the blaze, police say.
A man and woman are facing homicide charges for setting fire to a Strawberry Mansion rowhome earlier this month, killing a mother and her two children and injuring two others, police said Friday.
The fire broke out just before 5 a.m. on June 13 at a house on the 2500 block of North Corlies Street. When firefighters arrived, the property was engulfed in flames. The five victims were found inside the home as crews battled the fire.
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Two children, 6-year-old Assad Thompson and 4-year-old Alaya Thompson-Newell, died after they were taken to the hospital. Their mother, 32-year-old Ashley Thompson, died at the scene. She was 8 months pregnant, police said. A 54-year-old woman and a 2-year-old child survived their injuries.
An investigation of the fire led authorities to execute a search warrant Wednesday at a home on the 2800 block of West Albert Street in Strawberry Mansion. Charles Sumpter, 67, and Fleitte Newell, 44, were taken into custody and charged with multiple counts of homicide, arson and related offenses. Court records show the homicide charges include counts for the death of Thompson's unborn child.
Police did not provide details about a suspected motive behind the fire and how it was ignited.
