Woman whose daughter died in house fire facing eviction

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

A year after a Huber Heights woman lost her young daughter to a house fire, she’s facing eviction from her home. But the community is rallying around her to help Brandy Tripodi and her remaining two children stay in the home.

In March Tripodi’s home in the 6400 block of Hemingway Road caught on fire and her 10-year-old daughter died in the blaze. She’s since moved to new home, but she recently fell on hard times and and could be evicted.

Several people in the community, including Huber Heights Councilwoman Janell Smith, are working to help Tripodi and her family.

“When I see a mother reaching out for help and I know the story, it breaks my heart,” Smith said Wednesday.

Smith got involved after Tripodi posted a message on social media asking for help, the councilwoman said.

“Give her the compassion and love she needs right now because she’s lost so much that we can’t replace,” Smith said.

Tripodi, a single mother whose remaining two children are 5 and 14 years old, works at a fast food restaurant is facing eviction because she is behind on her December rent, she told the councilwoman, adding that she’s also been late on her rent in the past.

Tripodi declined to comment.

“People judge ( and say), ‘oh she’s been late before’, but they don’t understand, when you go through a tragic time, it takes a long time to heal,” Smith said.

Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer is also contributing by donating Christmas presents to the family, Smith said. But Smith’s primary concern is that Tripodi and her children are not evicted.

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