Mother of kidnapped, murdered teen’s house destroyed in ‘suspicious’ fire

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The mother of one of the Toledo teens who were kidnapped and murdered, and whose remains were later found in a burned-down home in December, is finding new living arrangements after her home went up in flames twice over the weekend. Investigators tell 13abc the second fire at her home on Sunday was deemed suspicious.

Kenyotta Reynolds, Kyshawn Pittman’s mother, confirmed to 13abc her house on Ohio Street caught fire Sunday. Toledo Fire and Rescue officials deemed the home a total loss.

TFRD told 13abc at the scene the house first caught fire around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday. They said the cause appeared accidental from cooking left unattended to. But the house caught fire again around 4:30 a.m. No one was hurt, but the house was deemed a total loss. TFRD said the house would be torn down on Sunday. TFRD said the second fire that sparked was considered suspicious and is still under investigation. The fire also spread to the neighboring house, which sustained some damage but is salvageable.

Reynolds is the mother of one of the two Toledo boys who police say were kidnapped and murdered, Kyshawn Pittman and Ke’Marion Wilder. Investigators found their remains in the rubble of a burned-down home on Chase Street just weeks after their disappearance. The boys were last seen leaving Maumee Bay State Park on Dec. 3, and the house on Chase burned-down on Dec. 5. Investigators found their remains on Dec. 15. The coroner’s office still has not released a cause of death for the boys.

Since the discovery of kidnapped teens’ remains, nearly a dozen people have been charged in connection to their disappearance or death.

Reynolds created a crowdsourcing fundraiser to help with expenses saying she and her daughter have nothing left but the clothes on her back. She said her daughter escaped the fire and went back inside to get Kyshawn’s urn, making it out safely twice.

“My son was murdered horrifically after being missing for 12 days. He was kidnapped, tortured, beaten & left in a rumble of dirt from a house fire. 3 months later I turn around and lose every memory I had of my son in a house fire,” Reynolds said in the GoFundMe. Those looking to help the family can donate to the fundraiser at the link here.

The following report aired on Sunday, March 26, 2023.

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