Eastpointe mother ordered to stand trial after fire kills kids

Eastpointe – The mother of two boys who, along with another child, died in an accidental Eastpointe house fire has been ordered to stand trial on child abuse charges.

The Macomb Daily reports that Judge Carl Gerds of the 38th District Court ruled recently after hearing testimony and reviewing arguments from 29-year-old Amber Swain’s attorney John Dakmak and prosecutors.

Dakmak said the children had been home alone in Eastpointe for about 85 minutes when the fire struck in March 2018. He disputed arguments from prosecutors that Swain was reckless because she couldn’t have foreseen that her home would burn down “during the short time frame.”

Records say an electrical malfunction caused the fire. The dead included Swain’s 8- and 9-year-old sons and a 4-year-old cousin.

Swain returns to court Monday.

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