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Family Seeks Justice For Daughter's Death In Paradise Fire

POSTED: 4:47 pm PDT October 27, 2009
UPDATED: 7:11 pm PDT October 27, 2009

A Valley Center family is still seeking justice after the 2003 Paradise fire claimed the life of a loved one, 10News reported.

While the 2003 Cedar fire claimed more than 280,000 acres, destroyed 2,200 homes and killed 15 people, the Paradise fire devastated Valley Center, destroying more than 220 homes and killing two people.

Authorities said a lost hunter in the East County is to blame for starting the Cedar fire after he fired his weapon into dry brush. About the same time the Cedar fire began, the Paradise fire started on the Rincon Indian Reservation and quickly moved into Valley Center.

In 2003, the Roach family's home in Valley Center was damaged by the Paradise fire, but the flames took more than just material things. Ashleigh Roach, 18, was killed trying to escape the fire. Her sister, Allison, was burned over 85 percent of her body.

"Allison was able to come back to us, and that was a miracle. She went back to school, went back to work and this year got married. So, there's incredible miracles there," said Lori Roach.

But every anniversary, there is something that still gnaws away at her.

"Why could they find the arsonist that set the Cedar fire so quickly and have resolution to that case, and ours, nothing," said Roach.

Another person aside from Roach's daughter died in the Paradise fire, and Roach said those deaths need to be accounted for.

Cal Fire did not comment whether the Paradise fire was intentionally set, but said it is still under investigation.

They urge anyone with information on how it started to come forward.
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