GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — A man has been charged in a Grand Rapids house fire that killed a mother and three children in early February.
Robert Keith Scales, 38, faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter for the deadly fire on Dawes Avenue SE.
Scales' wife, Wanedia Scales, 34, his stepson, Xavier Woldeab, 15, and his two biological children Robert Scales, Jr., 13 and Elijah Scales, 9, all died in the fire.
Robert Scales was arraigned Thursday afternoon, his attorney said he turned himself in at 5 a.m. Robert Scales is charged for acting in a grossly negligent manner by burning material in close proximity to a home that lacked smoke detectors.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said this was the highest possible charge given the available evidence.
"I think that's the biggest question we have, 'why aren't these murder charges?" Becker said Thursday.
Court records indicate that Wanedia Scales had previously tried to file for divorce. In a petition for personal protection order against Robert Scales, the 34-year-old mother said she feared for her safety. The petition was denied.
She wrote that Robert Scales "vandalized property and has threaten (sic) to burn the house down with me in it." She also wrote that he threatened her in front of the children.
Becker said those statements along with other statements made by Robert Scales in the time since the fire have all been taken into account.
"We looked at everything. The biggest thing with a murder charge is there has got to be some sort of intent," Becker said. "When we looked at the facts of this case and what happened that caused the fire that night, we could not get to that level. We couldn't show an intent, we couldn't show a reckless act."
If new information comes to light, Becker said his office will take another look.
"But, at this point in time, after an extensive investigation we did not feel we could charge a murder," he said.
Crews were called to the home at 2902 Dawes Avenue SE near 28th Street shortly after midnight on Feb. 5.
Wanedia Scales died at the scene; the three boys died at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Initially, Robert Scales said he was at work when the fire took place.
Robert Scales is being held in the Kent County Jail on 10% of $50,000 bond.
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