Couple sentenced to 10 to 30 years in prison for fire that killed 3 toddlers

A man and woman who admitted being too high on methamphetamines to rescue three toddlers killed in a Las Vegas mobile home fire were sentenced Monday to 10 to 30 years in prison.

Amy Hatzenpiller, 29, and Shane Gouailhardou, 25, each pleaded guilty in April to three counts of child abuse, neglect or endangerment with substantial bodily harm in connection with the June 2012 blaze.

Prosecutors had argued that Hatzenpiller deserved a lengthier sentence because witnesses said only Gouailhardou tried to go back into the home to rescue the children.

David Gouailhardou, 2, Skylar Lafia, 2, and Aryana Lafia, 1, died June 15, 2012 at Van'€™s Trailer Oasis, 3610 Las Vegas Blvd. North, near Lamb Boulevard.

The cause of their deaths was smoke inhalation, and the manner of their deaths was ruled undetermined, according to the Clark County coroner's office.

The children were sleeping in their home when the fire started in the late morning, fire officials said.

Hatzenpiller, the mother of Skylar and Aryana, and Gouailhardou, David's father, escaped through a window.

Prosecutor David Stanton said there was "€œconcrete, physical evidence,"€ including injuries to his chest and hands, that Shane Gouailhardou tried to return to the home. Hatzepillar was within arms-reach of the children when she escaped the blaze, the prosecutor said.

There were only two exits to the trailer, Stanton said. The back door was blocked by a bookcase and the front door was engulfed in flames.

By the time firefighters had the blaze under control, the children were dead, and two mobile homes were destroyed.

Federal agents think the fire was caused by a smoldering cigarette but acknowledged there is a small probability it might have been caused by one or more of the children playing with a lighter.

Hatzenpiller had a lengthy history of contact with the Clark County Department of Family Services before the fire, records show.

Contact reporter David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker