Parents react to fire cause

DEFIANCE, Ohio (WANE) - It's been almost four months since Paul and Martha Punches lost their only child Lara in a fatal fire at the Willows of Coventry. They spoke with NewsChannel 15 about their reactions to early reports that the fire was caused by an overheated electrical outlet.

Both parents are still devastated over the sudden loss. They tell NewsChannel 15 they've been waiting for months for answers about why this happened and they're still struggling to gain some closure.

Lara would have been coming back to her home in Defiance soon for the summer. The 19-year-old was spending her first year on her own attending the International Business College, when tragedy struck.

On January 23, 2009, fire broke out in her apartment building at the Willows of Coventry in Fort Wayne.

Two of her roommates were killed and 20 days after the fire, Lara also passed away without ever regaining consciousness.

NewsChannel 15's Janice Allen sat down with both parents as they learned of the fire department's initial cause of the fatal fire.

They say just knowing something is comforting, but they'll never accept why this had to happen.

"Knowing that it was an accident helps. Now we just move on to the next phase," said Martha."Acceptance has been the hardest, cause I keep thinking she's going to walk through the door."

"I think it will always be why did it have to happen to ours? But knowing that it was an accident makes it a lot better than knowing or thinking someone actually went in there and murdered our kids," added Paul.

You can catch much more of their exclusive interview Friday, right here on NewsChannel 15 at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Hear Lara's parents talk about their final memories and Lara's final words before she died.