FLORA, Ind. (WTHR) - The family of four girls who died in a house fire in Flora are raising questions about the timing of some recent resignations by Flora and Carroll County Officials.
They're also refuting claims of a racial divide as they close in on the one year mark of that deadly fire.
"They just didn't make it out. She tried though, she tried to save them," said Jacqueline Partlow, wiping away tears as she talked about the failed attempt of her niece Gaylin Rose to save her own girls from their burning home November 21, 2016.
It's been almost a year since Keyana, Keyara, Kerriele and Konnie died.
"They were gone, like snatched right from under you," Partlow said, standing outside the boarded up house where the fire swept through. The pain of a stalled arson investigation now more unsettling with the resignations of a State Fire Marshal Investigator, the Carroll County Prosecutor and now the Chief of Flora's Volunteer Fire Department.
"It doesn't look very good from where we sit for people to resign and quit. I would just like to really know what's going on?," Partlow told 13 Investigates.
Volunteer Fire Chief Adam Randle told 13 Investigates he's leaving for family reasons and not because of the investigation. He said he would carry the weight of what happened last November with him for a long time.
State Police confirm the younger Randle had no role in the investigation. His father, Dennis Randle was the lead investigator until 13 Investigates unveiled some troubling emails questioning has findings. Dennis Randle resigned in June.
But Partlow questions the timing of the departures of Prosecutor Robert Ives, and the Fire Chief after some have accused the family of interjecting race into the case by asking the NAACP to step in.
"Now that we've come out and started asking more questions things are popping, people are dropping and we don't understand that," Partlow said. "When we figured out we're not getting any answers, we have to go where we can get help. For no other reason expect to keep the memory of these girls alive and to help us to find out what happened," Partlow explained.
No answers she says simply magnifies the heartbreak. Family members say they will be outside the home on Tuesday night to mark the one year of that deadly fire. They're asking anyone who wants to, to join them then and in their search for answers.