Family grieves death of little girl caught inside burning Independence home

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – The family of a little girl who was pulled from a burning home along Winner Street in Independence over the weekend is mourning her devastating loss.

Tiffanie Burcham, the mother of Kai-Lynn McMullin, 5, posted on her Facebook page a message instructing people to hold onto their children tightly and tell them you love them. Her post was then followed by many friends expressing their condolences for Kai-Lynn’s death.

Earlier Mike Turner, who isn’t Kai-Lynn’s biological father, but considers her a daughter, told FOX 4 that the family will soon have to let her go. Family members said she has been in critical condition at Children’s Mercy Hospital since Saturday. Family said Kai-Lynn has second and third degree burns covering 31 percent of her body.

“She’s not biologically mine, but that little girl means the world to me,” Turner told FOX 4 on Saturday.

Turner said he had just moved in the duplex Friday night with his girlfriend and her daughter. On Saturday afternoon the duplex went up in flames. Turner said he and his girlfriend had to jump out a back window of the duplex. Two neighbors broke open a glass window to get Kai-Lynn out of the home.

“I grabbed the bench, the wrought iron bench there, and busted out the rest of the window and we were able to reach in and get the little girl,” said neighbor Mike Romero.

Fire officials have not yet determined the cause of the fire.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Kai-Lynn and her family.