On February 24, 2011, a blaze in a home day care facility in Houston, Texas killed four of the children and injured three others. The fire started in the kitchen where a pan of oil cooked on an unattended stove. The day care operator, 22 year old Jessica Tata, had left the seven children unsupervised in the day care center while she drove to the store for groceries.

Two neighbors heard Tata screaming in the driveway shortly after she arrived home. They saw the smoke and called 911 before trying to rescue the children, but the fire and smoke were already too great.

Investigators thought Tata was a victim because she didn’t say much as the scene or later at the hospital. She did tell investigators that she had been in the facility’s bathroom when the fire started, but she refused to talk with officials the day after the fire and later referred questions to her lawyer.

Before investigators could talk with her, Tata flew to Nigeria, Africa. She spent less than a month on the U.S. Marshals Service’s most wanted fugitives list before Nigerian officials arrested her and returned her to the U.S.

Tata faced four counts of manslaughter, six counts of reckless injury to a child and three counts of child abandonment. Her lawyer worked hard to prove her innocence, but the jury reached a guilty verdict on November 13, 2012. Tata could spend up to 99 years in prison.

This tragedy brings day care facilities under the watchful eyes of parents across the country. Each state’s Department of Public Welfare sets rules for day cares, and strict guidelines for child supervision serve to protect children in the state. From this tragedy, parents are more likely to ensure their provider properly supervises the children throughout the day.

Additionally, providers are reminded to follow safety guidelines. One simple pot of unattended oil and a poor choice to leave young children alone caused immense heartache. The children’s families and Tata’s family must now deal with the aftermath of the tragedy that originated in a place designed to protect children.