VIDEO: Mom says son charged in deadly blaze is innocent

Michael Davis' Mother Speaks, Courtesy Of WFMJ

Video

Mother of alleged arsonist Michael Davis Courtesy Of WFMJ

YOUNGSTOWN — The mother of the man charged with setting a fire that killed two women and four children believes her son is innocent.

“I know he wouldn’t hurt no kids,” Ann Davis told WFMJ TV21 in an interview Friday. “His sister is 5 years old so I know he wouldn’t.”

Her son, Michael Davis, 18, is charged with six counts of aggravated murder and 11 counts of aggravated arson in the early Wednesday blaze on Stewart Avenue. The fire killed Carol Crawford, 46, her daughter, Jennifer R. Crawford, 23, and Jennifer’s four children, Ranaisha, 8; Jeannine, 5; Aleisha, 3; and Brandon, 2.

The Davis’ live on Bennington Avenue around the corner from the Crawford home.

“I am sorry for the Crawford family,” she said.

Davis told 21 News that she believes her son is covering for someone — although she doesn’t know who.

“My son woke me and said Julius’s house is on fire,” Davis said. “I said, ‘Call 911.’”

Julius Crawford, 16, one of the survivors of the fire and Michael were friends, she said. They both attended East High School and worked together at a McDonald’s restaurant.

Davis learned from watching the news later that morning that six members of the Crawford family died in the fire.

“That really hurted me,” she said. “The Crawfords was good people, they really was.”

The two families had known each other for about three years.

“I just can’t believe this happened,” Davis said.

She said Michael has issues including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and that he’s had brushes with the law for stealing cars. But he’s never been violent, she said.

“For the last year, he’s been improving a lot,” Davis said. “He was talking about going to the Army, going to college and then all of this happened.”

She says she knows her son isn’t guilty.

“He’s too kind-hearted,” Davis said. “Just like if they needed something, he would give it to them. Even if it was the last dollar he had he would give it to them.”

She hasn’t spoken to her son since he was arrested and wishes that he would call her.

Sources have said that a dispute over a stolen cell phone was the motive for the fire that started on the front porch of the Crawford home.

Davis said that her son’s cell phone had been stolen and that he had asked both Julius and another boy if they had it. Both denied they did, but she said that Julius then answered the cell phone.

“That hurt Michael,” she said. “Julius know how Michael was about people stealing from us and Julius sweared he didn’t take the phone.”

But she doesn’t think her son would hurt children over a cell phone.