Dad of Black Boys Left by Firefighters: Cops Took My Blood
An internal probe found the firefighters lied about their search for the kids, who later died. But their father experienced his own nightmare that day.
The father of two Black boys who died after being missed by white firefighters in Flint, Michigan, this spring told The Daily Beast that he was held by police for several hours and had his blood drawn by cops while his sons fought for their lives.
“I was going crazy not knowing if my kids were dead or alive,” DeAndre Mitchell, 44, said in an interview alongside the children’s mother, Crystal Cooper.
Two boys who died in a house fire in Flint back in May. It happened in the 600 block of West Pulaski in Flint.
At the time of the fire, a sergeant and a firefighter with the department gave the all-clear saying no one was in the home.
Minutes later other fire officials responding to the scene found 9-year-old Lamar and 12-year-old Zy'aire Mitchell upstairs in the home. Flint Fire Chief Raymond Barton says these fire officials gave a false report on this fire
Mitchell told The Daily Beast that on the morning of the fire, he had been running on the treadmill at the local YMCA. When he saw multiple missed calls from family members, he hastily called his uncle back.
“He was like, ‘Man, get home, your house on fire,’” Mitchell told The Daily Beast. “And I said, ‘Where my kids at?’”
The uncle explained that he had heard that one of his two boys had been taken out on a stretcher, Mitchell said.
In fact, not just one but both of his sons had been rushed to the hospital. And days later, 9-year-old LaMar and 12-year-old Zy’Aire would die—brain dead, of smoke inhalation, according to the family.
A probe by state investigators in Michigan later concluded the fire itself was caused by electrical wiring, according to a city press release in August.
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In October, Barton implied to members of the Flint City Council that he was overruled in his decision to fire the men, Daniel Sniegocki and Michael Zlotek. That fueled allegations by the family and city council members that local politicians—including Democratic Mayor Sheldon Neeley—tried to sweep the whole mess under the rug.
A representative of Flint Firefighters Local 352 told The Flint Journal that the two firefighters are being scapegoated in the matter because they failed to search a small room on the second floor of the home due to extreme heat and low visibility
“We are not lying, because we did search the bedroom, but did not realize that there was a smaller room attached to it,” one of the firefighters, speaking anonymously, later told local TV outlet ABC12.
In his investigative report, Barton determined that statements the firefighters previously made about the events that day were false, as the first boy had been found “to the immediate left” of the main entrance to the room.
In his investigative report, Barton determined that statements the firefighters previously made about the events that day were false, as the first boy had been found “to the immediate left” of the main entrance to the room
Crystal Cooper is the mother of12 year-old Zy'aire and 9 year-old Lamar Mitchell, both went by their nicknames Zy and and Bobby.
"We have two firefighters who falsified documents," Flint City Councilwomen Tonya Burns said.
Cooper's attorney, Robert Kenner, tells Mid-Michigan NOW Flint Fire Chief Ray Burton gave the recommendation for both firefighters to be terminated. "I commend Fire Chief Barton because that's something that's unheard of to do your own investigation to get to the bottom of it," Kenner said.
Even with that recommendation, the firefighters were still allowed to keep their jobs. One firefighter deciding to retire after this incident and the other still working.
Several weeks later, an investigation led by the fire department found two firefighters tasked with the initial search of the room the children were in lied about properly sweeping for victims. Almost seven minutes later, the children were found by other firefighters. Both later died at a hospital from smoke inhalation, their mother said. State fire investigators ruled faulty electrical wiring caused the fire.
In his July report, Flint Fire Department Chief Raymond Barton determined the two firefighters — Daniel Sniegocki and Michael Zlotek — should be terminated from the department, “due to the nature of the incident in question, and the actions or lack of action possibly contributing to the loss of life of two victims.”
But instead, the city accepted the resignation of one of the firefighters and a second was “disciplined,” Barton said in August, without elaborating on what disciplinary actions were taken. On Friday, the city provided CNN with a copy of a letter sent to Zlotek dated July 28 detailing his two-week suspension.
Neither man has been charged with a crime.
Attorney Robert Kenner, who is representing the boys’ mother, said he thinks there is an indication of racial bias in the way the investigation has been handled because the children were Black.
“I can’t say in good faith that these firemen intentionally failed at their responsibility because these boys were African Americans, I would never say that,” Kenner said. “I think the way it was handled subsequent to the boys being found was a disparity in how others have been treated.”
Speaking at a press conference Friday, the boys’ mother, Crystal Cooper, said, “Only if I could just give six minutes, my babies would still be here with me. I just want justice for them. They didn’t deserve this. Every day is a struggle knowing that I won’t see them anymore.”
Kenner accused the city of a coverup and on Friday called for another investigation.
“There was an investigation by a Chief Raymond Barton and, what he found, was that two firemen — Daniel Sniegocki and Michael Zlotek — fabricated and lied on a report and said that they checked the room,” Kenner said. “Based on what they said, the chief did his own investigation and what was uncovered was they couldn’t have checked the room, they didn’t even mention anything about a bed, the location of the bed, the location of items.”
“No parent should ever have to go through this,” the attorney added. “No parent. So, what we’re calling for, we’re calling for a thorough investigation, an earnest investigation, no cover-ups, no change in documents. We’re calling for the truth.”
CNN has reached out to the union for comment.
“The mayor is in a hotly contested race right now and made the decision not to terminate based on political reasons,” Kenner claimed. “He’s tied to the fire union and didn’t want to upset the union or other constituents.”
Neeley is facing former Mayor Karen Weaver in the election on Tuesday.
Neeley, the mayor, told CNN, “There is absolutely no truth to the allegation that there is a cover up.”
“We continue to lift this family in prayer, and we are sad to see their pain shamefully exploited,” he added.
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