Arcadia family remembering 12-year-old killed in a house fire

Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
The community is hosting two fundraisers on Saturday for the family of Laiellah Hatcher who died in a house fire on March 16.

The greatest hero she’s ever known. That is how a woman describes her little sister who was killed in a fire in 2021.

12-year-old Laiellah Hatcher ran back into her family’s home to save her five dogs. Sadly, none of them made it out alive.

Laiellah Hatcher (Photo courtesy of family)

A year after this tragedy, the Hatcher family is dealing with overwhelming grief and is paying tribute to Laiellah.

MORE: Family remembers girl killed in Arcadia house fire

Sometimes, Kristina Hatcher sits where the home once stood and thinks about her little sister. Laiellah died trying to do something good, save her dogs.

One year later, the land where her house once stood is nothing but dirt and rubble, but Laiellah’s memory stands tall.

“I think about the good times,” said Laiellah’s older sister Kristina Hatcher.

Those good times ended a year ago for Kristina and her family. “I remember getting woke up at 3:30 in the morning to absolute, or everybody was crying, everybody’s screaming,” said Hatcher.

Hatcher is the oldest of five siblings. A group that used to be six. The youngest, Laiellah, refused to let her animals die in a house fire. She got out of the house safely, then ran back inside to try to save the dogs.

“She’s a hero. She’s an animal lover. She always has been,” said Hatcher. “I knew from the bottom of my heart, she would do whatever she could to help her animals.”

Laiellah died in the fire.

The months-long investigation into the cause of the fire determined it to be an electrical failure near the water heater that sparked the flames.

How does Kristina remember her sister, who will forever be 12 in her heart and soul? Laiellah loved the Lion King, so she honored her with a Lion King tattoo with puzzle pieces because Laiellah, who was on the autism spectrum, filled Kristina’s heart with more love than she could ever need. “Just because you’re autistic does not inhibit your ability to be a hero,” said Hatcher.

Laiellah’s aunt, who lives next door to where the Hatcher home burnt down, was pregnant with her daughter when the fire broke out. She named the baby Laila in the memory of her niece Laiellah.

Copyright ©2025 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.