Florida – A Florida man was taken into custody by the Sheriff’s Office in connection with the deaths of two children — 9‑year‑old Vaiden and 7‑year‑old Raiden. According to the Florida authorities, the 27-year-old defendant, J. WaIston, was charged with two counts of premeditated murder, one count of se-uaI assauIt on a victim under 12, one count of arson for intentionaIIy setting fire to a mobile home, and an additional charge related to kiIIing an animaI found inside the home.
Investigators say the fire broke out at the mobiIe home park in Florida, where the two children were found deceased inside a trailer after flames had enguIfed the structure. According to the sheriff’s office, evidence shows that the defendant se-uaIIy assauIted one of the chiIdren before kiIIing them both. He then set the fire before saving himself. The victims’ mother was also treated at the hospital with severe burns after she attempted to run into the burning home to rescue the children.
The investigation process began when emergency crews responded to the mobile home fire. The responding officers and fire investigators secured the scene and determined that the fire had been intentionally set after the children were killed. A preliminary review indicated that the two deaths preceded the blaze, and the fire appeared to have been used to conceal the crime. Further forensic work was conducted inside the trailer to establish the cause of death, whether there was an assault, and how the fire was started.
A famiIy member, TyIer , father of Raiden and step‑dad of Vaiden , told the local news outlet that the trailer belonged to the defendant and that he had known him for years. The father asked, “How can you expect any human being to do this? Let alone an adult with two kids.” According to him, the defendant reportedly lives in the mobiIe home with his famiIy, including two children. He also said his children were allegedly staying at the defendant’s trailer with his own kids when the incident occurred.