GREENSBORO, N.C. — Fire investigators said the cause of the Grimsley Street fire that claimed the lives of three children is still undetermined.
Photos of the fire have also been released and investigators said the fire had multiple origin points and it's still not clear how it started.
Former fire investigator, David Douglas said rulings like this aren't uncommon.
"Fire investigations, while sometimes are very clear cut, sometimes it's extremely gray and this is probably one of those gray areas," he shared.
The fire prompted a state investigation which found several violations involving the Guilford County Department of Social Services.
The county has since released a corrective action plan, calling for more training and more supervisor oversight.
The county would be cited by the state if they failed to make those changes.
Police said the mother, Brandi Sturdivant, 28, left the children alone at home just before the fire started on Dec. 12, 2022.
They were all under the age of 5.
Police said Sturdivant confessed to keeping drugs in the house. An autopsy report showed there was cocaine found in the 4-year-old's system at the time of his death.
The fire also happened outside the bedroom where all three children were sleeping. Investigators said it would've been tough to get them out.
Madam DA Thompson called it a “graphic and gruesome scene”.
Witnesses told investigators Sturdivant would constantly go out and leave all of her children alone at night.
At the moment, Sturdivant is facing felony child abuse and neglect charges at this time.
Once the fire was ruled undetermined, the grandmother of Sturdivant's living children, Essie Moffitt said she was relieved.
"I don't think she would've done anything to put them in harm's way not on purpose like I said, we all make mistakes," Essie Moffitt said.
The pictures were too small and grainy to blow up, but you can see where several rooms were charred.
The city code division outlined several different recommendations for repairs before the house could be deemed safe again.
It says everything in the home must be replaced.
The owner of the home said it has not been released back into his possession since the investigation is ongoing.
He said once he gets the house back, he plans to hand it over to Habitat for Humanity who will demolish the home and rebuild.
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