Vidalia pastor sets up GoFundMe account for niece who lost 3 children in Thanksgiving fire

Published 4:33 pm Monday, November 30, 2020

BATON ROUGE — Vidalia pastor Raymond Riley Sr. started a GoFundMe page for a Baton Rouge family member who lost her three children and belongings in a house fire Thanksgiving night.

Riley, who is the pastor of Greater Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church and member of the Concordia Parish School Board, said his niece Cordney Riley lost her three children to a fire on Thanksgiving night in Baton Rouge.

Cordney Riley’s two daughters Ja’Nayah De’shell Richardson, 12, and Ca’Mayah Nicole Riley, 8, and 9-month-old son, Cardia Jamyron Riley, all died due to injuries caused by the fire, Raymond Riley said.

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Cardia Jamyron Riley died Monday morning in the hospital after the GoFundMe page was created, Raymond Riley said.

“She lost everything,” Riley said of his niece, who survived the fire.

The cause of the fire is being investigated, he said.

WBRZ of Baton Rouge reported that emergency personnel arrived on the scene Thursday night to find fire coming from the roof of the house on Nottingham Street.

“Officials say they discovered an adult suffering from burn injuries along with two unresponsive children,” WBRZ reports. “The adult told first responders there was one other child left inside the home who they were unable to reach. Aid was given to the two children and adult outside while crews worked to get the other child out.”
WBRZ reports that Ca’Mayah was eventually removed from the house before being pronounced dead at the hospital.

Raymond Riley said the family has already taken care of the expense for the funeral and memorial services and started the GoFundMe page for medical bills and living arrangements for Cordney Riley.

The GoFundMe raised $7,895 as of Monday afternoon.

“I set up the GoFundMe account to help her in any way that I could,” Riley said. “It has been overwhelmingly supported by people all across the country. … People have overwhelmingly supported her and we just ask people to pray for the family and share donations if they can.”

Donations can be made online at www.gofundme.com/f/chqsb-funeral-services-and-medical-bills.