Balloons, stuffed animals and candles lit for the deceased family of five stood out Monday in front of the building burned during a Sunday morning fire at Spanish Willows Apartments.
Firefighters who arrived at the apartments at 7510 Geyer Springs Road just after 5 a.m. Sunday found Dominique Chantille Rideout, 29, and Evan Howard, 28, dead at the scene. Their three children -- Nyla Howard, 4; Nehemiah Howard, 8; and Nathaniel Howard, 9 -- were transported to Arkansas Children's hospital, where they later died.
Family and friends who gathered Monday afternoon at the building described Rideout and Howard as high school sweethearts and devoted parents.
"They loved their kids. They would have done anything to save those kids," said Brittine Watson, Rideout's best friend of 20 years.
Rideout's brother, Larry Jackson, said Howard liked taking the kids to places like the jump park and Chuck E. Cheese. The boys enjoyed playing video games, and the whole family enjoyed playing board games, like Monopoly, he said.
"Nyla just started elementary school. She wanted to be a ballerina," Jackson said. "I was just about to buy her some new shoes."
The Little Rock School District's Student Services Division arranged counseling services Monday for classmates and staff who knew the students, according to a public statement by the district. The statement did not say which school the children attended.
"Nothing can ever prepare you for the death of a child," Superintendent Mike Poore said. "Our sadness is compounded by the fact that there were multiple members from the same household who lost their lives. Our condolences are with the extended family, friends and all who knew and loved them."
The fire had spread to the attic before responders arrived and put it out. No one else in the building was injured. Power was turned off for the entire building, and all eight units were vacated, Capt. Jason Weaver said.
The origin and cause of the fire is under investigation, and the Little Rock Fire Department did not release any new information Monday. The causes of death is pending the Medical Examiner's Report.