House fire fatality Vanessa de la Cruz.
SAN FRANCISCO–A young Filipino American preschool teacher in Bonita, California, was killed in a fire that engulfed her family’s home early Monday, December 28.
Vanessa de La Cruz, 22, died and four others were injured when fire broke out around 4:50 a.m. inside her home on Alameda Way, south of State Route 54 and north of Sweetwater Road. She was a teacher at Kids Depot, a preschool.
Firefighters found de la Cruz dead in a back bedroom. Four people were rescued and taken to the University of California in San Diego Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation.
According to a medical examiner’s report, the victim’s father awakened to smoke and flames and then tried to get his family members out.
The property is owned by former Assemblymember and former Chula Vista mayor Shirley Horton, who said she rented out the home to Vanessa and Nicole De La Cruz just two months ago.
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