Mother might not be charged

The mother of 13-month-old fire victim Kylla Pahl may not face charges in her daughter’s death last week, Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas said Monday.

Coeur d’Alene Police asked Douglas to review the case for a potential involuntary manslaughter charge against the mother, 26-year-old Megan Longoria. Douglas said he didn’t find grounds for any charges against Longoria in his initial review of the case.

Police said Kylla was alone inside the Coeur d’Alene house last Wednesday when the fire was started by an unattended candle. Police also have said Longoria was with a man in a car behind the C Street house.

But Douglas said Monday that nothing in the police report he received indicates Longoria and the man were inside the vehicle at the time of the early morning fire. The report says the two were outside “discussing the sale of a car,” he said. The child was alone for “only moments,” Douglas said, citing the Police Department’s account of the incident.

“There’s no indication anything unlawful was happening inside or near the premises by anyone,” he said.

Douglas also said, “A mother lost her 13-month-old daughter. That’s all we have right now. I know there’s been speculation and there’s speculation in the (police) report, but we can’t go on speculation and some past history.

“There’s nothing which would justify us swearing out a complaint before a magistrate,” Douglas said.

According to court documents, Kylla was born in June 2005 with methamphetamine in her system. The state removed the baby from her mother’s custody shortly after birth and Longoria was charged with using meth while pregnant.

Two months later, as the criminal case against Longoria was pending, police found meth and syringes in a search of the family’s home. Kelley Pahl, Kylla’s father, was arrested on drug charges.

Though Kylla was in state custody, Longoria was home at the time with two other children. Coeur d’Alene Police did not contact the state Department of Health and Welfare.

In November 2005, Kylla was returned to her mother’s care. Charges against Longoria were dismissed by the city on a recommendation from Health and Welfare caseworker Amanda Grafe.

In a letter to the Coeur d’Alene city attorney’s office, Grafe said Longoria had done “wonderful” on urinalysis testing for drug use and had “taken the responsibility that is required of her as a parent.”

Grafe wrote that she had conducted home visits and “continually saw that Kylla was being appropriately taken care of.”

Idaho Health and Welfare spokesman Ross Mason said the agency never has received complaints about the home where Kylla suffered deadly burns. The girl survived a few hours and died that afternoon after being flown to a Seattle hospital.

Kelley Pahl was arrested on an outstanding warrant in connection with a drug case in Spokane the evening before his daughter’s death.

A Post Falls woman who tipped off police to his whereabouts said he was a meth user and that Longoria had attempted suicide just days earlier. She also said there were two children at the home.

Police responded to the home and arrested Pahl but took no report.

Douglas said Monday that his office still has work to do before making a final decision on whether Longoria will be charged in her daughter’s death. He said his office is awaiting the fire marshal’s report and also wants to talk with Longoria and neighbors.

Both Douglas and Coeur d’Alene police Sgt. Christie Wood said Monday they don’t know where Longoria is. She accompanied her daughter to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after Wednesday’s fire.