House Fire Takes The Life Of A Mount Vernon Student - School District Reacts
By: Casie Mason
Updated: January 4, 2013
Heavy hearts in the Posey County community tonight as we are learning more about a tragic house fire that killed three members of the Robb. New information to share with you about the death of the victims. Posey county coroner Jay Prices says twenty eight year old Amanda Robb, her five year old daughter Aubrey, and fifteen-year-old cousin Bailey Robb all died from smoke inhalation. Just after midnight the home on Mulberry street in Mount Vernon caught fire. Eight people were inside at the time, according to investigators. Four were able to escape on their own... Another had to be rescued by firefighters.
Fifteen year old Bailey Robb was a freshman at Mount Vernon High School. Today his seat at the school was empty . His memory was on the minds of many. As the names of victims were realized from this morning's fatal house fire reality set in throughout the town. "I have know the young man since he has been in elementary, so yes, it's a difficult day," Mount Vernon schools Superintendent Dr. Tom Kopatich says this morning he woke to a phone call from officials.
Informing him one of the school's freshman had lost his life in an overnight house fire. "It's one of those things that it's unknown The hard thing is, it's a quick unknown. You know, if this happened yesterday at the ten o'clock news, there would have been so much preparation for today, then it's just, here it is," he adds.
Kopatich says despite the news, they pulled together to help students and faculty at the school. "We notified our administration very early in the morning. We had a faculty meeting, a staff meeting early in the morning, and then we had four different councilors in the morning at our high school."
Kopatish says many seeked counseling and advice to cope with the loss of their peer. "I think the counseling service that you have in a school at anytime is when students are with other classmates. Talking about the tragedy or whatever else has happened, it gives them an outlet and then also us working with them we can guide them."
Either way the news of Bailey Robb's death hits home to many around the town. "Our student who was a freshmen who is deceased was somebody that many faculty members knew. I would say we had about ten to fifteen students use our counseling service some we did send home. He was a boy. He liked to try things and do things and he will be missed by the faculty members."
Many have come by leaving signs and stuffed animals to pay their respects to those lives lost today.
Fifteen year old Bailey Robb was a freshman at Mount Vernon High School. Today his seat at the school was empty . His memory was on the minds of many. As the names of victims were realized from this morning's fatal house fire reality set in throughout the town. "I have know the young man since he has been in elementary, so yes, it's a difficult day," Mount Vernon schools Superintendent Dr. Tom Kopatich says this morning he woke to a phone call from officials.
Informing him one of the school's freshman had lost his life in an overnight house fire. "It's one of those things that it's unknown The hard thing is, it's a quick unknown. You know, if this happened yesterday at the ten o'clock news, there would have been so much preparation for today, then it's just, here it is," he adds.
Kopatich says despite the news, they pulled together to help students and faculty at the school. "We notified our administration very early in the morning. We had a faculty meeting, a staff meeting early in the morning, and then we had four different councilors in the morning at our high school."
Kopatish says many seeked counseling and advice to cope with the loss of their peer. "I think the counseling service that you have in a school at anytime is when students are with other classmates. Talking about the tragedy or whatever else has happened, it gives them an outlet and then also us working with them we can guide them."
Either way the news of Bailey Robb's death hits home to many around the town. "Our student who was a freshmen who is deceased was somebody that many faculty members knew. I would say we had about ten to fifteen students use our counseling service some we did send home. He was a boy. He liked to try things and do things and he will be missed by the faculty members."
Many have come by leaving signs and stuffed animals to pay their respects to those lives lost today.
