‘One of the most heartbreaking nights of my life’: Family remembers 3 sisters who died after Columbus fire

Columbus fire officials said there were smoke detectors in the home, but they were not working at the time of the fire.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A family is mourning the loss of three young sisters after they died from their injuries in a fire almost two weeks ago.  

The Roebuck sisters, 10-year-old Diamond, 8-year-old La’riyiah, and 7-year-old Heavin were the family’s entire light.  

10TV spoke with the girl’s great aunts, sisters Donnetta Cabrera and Deanna Long on Wednesday. The two couldn’t help but think that the girls are supposed to be here right now. 

“No mom should ever have to bury her babies,” Long said. “You shouldn’t have to bury one, let alone three.”  

“They were babies so…they had a long life still to live that they didn’t get to,” said Cabrera.  

The two told 10TV Diamond was humble, La’riyiah was the goofy one and Heavin was the enforcer who always had her sisters’ backs.  

The Columbus Division of Fire said the fatal fire happened on June 23 at a home on Midland Avenue around 1 a.m.  

Cabrera said the girl’s mother put the girls to be around 11 p.m. that night. She said they didn’t know the home was on fire until a neighbor called them.  

Firefighters found the sisters on the home’s second floor. Crews also found 22-year-old Robert Taylor on the home’s second floor. Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene. Diamond and La’riyiah both passed away within 24 hours following the fire. Heavin passed away this past Tuesday.  

“It was really, really tough I mean that was probably one of the most heartbreaking nights in my life,” said Cabrera.  

10TV has learned from records from Columbus Fire, that the home had smoke detectors, but none were working.  

The great aunts believe, that if the smoke detectors had been working, the lives lost could’ve been saved.  

The girl’s funerals are planned for this upcoming Monday. The family has created a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.