Police not pursuing criminal charges in deadly fire

Las Vegas police will not pursue criminal charges against the parents of three children who died in last week's mobile home fire.

"Right now it's being considered just a horrific accident," officer Marcus Martin said Tuesday.

That could change based on new information or witnesses materializing, but police were not planning to recommend abuse-and-neglect or any other charges, he said.

Prosecutors could file charges based on their review of the case, he said.

The cause of the Friday fire at Van's Trailer Oasis remained under investigation Tuesday.

Three children, all under 3, died in the fire at 3610 Las Vegas Blvd. North, near Lamb Boulevard. The county coroner's office has not released the names of the children.

Amy Hatzenpiller, 26, Shane Gouailhardou, 22, and the children were sleeping in their home when the fire started at about 10:20 a.m., fire officials said. By the time firefighters had the blaze under control, the children were dead, and two mobile homes were destroyed.

Neighbors and friends said Friday the two adults had lived together in the home for about four months and had been dating for about six months. They said that both were good parents and that they couldn't be at fault for the deaths of their children.

Hatzenpiller was the mother of two of the children, a girl, 1½ years old, and a 2-year-old boy. Gouailhardou was the father of the oldest boy, David, who would have turned 3 in August.

Clark County fire investigators and agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were investigating what started the fire.

Las Vegas homicide detectives conducted an initial criminal investigation before turning the case over to abuse-and-neglect investigators, who determined that no charges were warranted.

"At this time, abuse-and-neglect charges are not going forward against the parents," Martin said.

Contact reporter Brian Haynes at bhaynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0281.