Editor's Note (April 13, 2019 3:30 p.m.): This story has been updated to reflect that a second son, Jeremiah, died after the fire.
Ralph Freeman and his son, James, died when a fire broke out inside their Chester home in the predawn hours of Sunday morning. Freeman's 4-year-old son, Jeremiah, was rescued but later died from smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning.
In the hours following the fatal fire, family, friends and neighbors began building a memorial for the father and son outside their home. Mourners placed candles, stuffed animals, balloons, posters of Spiderman and framed photos to remember the father and son.
But days later, family found the memorial ransacked.
"They broke the picture that was in the frame. They took teddy bears. They took the other pictures," said Piseitta Arrington, Freeman's sister and aunt to the boys. "I just don't understand people that don't have a heart. Just being cowards. This is just wrong."
Freeman was a loving father who even made a makeshift backyard so his sons would have somewhere to play, said Khalif Ahissamaden, who told NBC10 he lived on the other side of the building for a period of time.
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"My brother was the glue for his children," Arrington said.
Freeman had been living with his sons on the second floor of the building. The first floor was vacant commercial space.
When firefighters arrived, they saw smoke coming out of the second floor and tried to rush in, but had a tough time entering because there was a lot of debris on the first floor blocking their path, Chester Fire Department Commissioner William Rigby said.
Officials are still investigating what sparked the blaze.
Family members remain hopeful that the youngest of the trio will make a full recovery.
