Community rallies around family of worker killed in group home arson
Two separate crowdfunding campaigns have been set up to help the family of a group home employee killed in a fire at work.
Andrea Reid, a mother of three young children, died of her injuries following the Friday afternoon fire. There are two Go Fund Me pages set up to help her family care for her kids.
The fire happened at a group home for teens in a rural area near Oakwood, at 725 Quaker Rd. It was operated by Connor Homes.
Police say the fire broke out after a disturbance at the home. One employee and one young resident died.
Two second-degree murder charges were laid against a youth, stated City of K aw art ha Lakes O PP, along with an ar son causing bodily harm charge. The youth remains in custody.
On Tuesday, two separate Go Fund Me pages were set up to help Reid’s family.
“Andrea gave her everything to the group home she was employed at,” states one of the two pages, apparently posted by a co-worker.
“To Andrea and many of us that worked there it was not a job, but it was a passion. Day in and day out Andrea gave her everything .... Always with a smile.”
This page also says Reid saved five lives, thanks to organ donation.
The second Go Fund Me Page appears to have been set up by family. (Organizers of the campaign couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday night.)
“We are hoping to raise some money to aid in making the arrangements and day to day care of the children more manageable during this tragic time,” it states.
This second campaign has been particularly successful: In just 12 hours, it raised more than $6,000 toward a goal of $50,000.
The page set up by the co-worker raised $500 in its first 12 hours, also toward a goal of $50,000.
The name of the youth who died cannot be released under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Police have not released the name, age or gender of the accused either, under the provisions of the same Act.
An investigation by the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP crime unit is continuing.
The fire broke out around 4 p.m. Friday, according to the City of Kawartha Lakes fire department, and OPP were called to the scene around 4:30 p.m.
The youth home is northwest of Oakwood and about 58 kilometres west of Peterborough.
The crowdfunding page posted by Reid’s co-worker can be found at gofundme.com/support-andreasfamily.
The one posted by her family is at gofundme.com/the-memory-ofandrea-reid.