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Girl's Life Cut Short by Fire Days Before School Milestone
31 May
Summary
- A six-year-old girl tragically died in a house fire.
- The fire occurred just days before her preschool graduation ceremony.
- Her sister also a student at the same preschool was hospitalized.
A house fire in Plain Township tragically resulted in the death of six-year-old Elizabeth Grace Workman, known as Ellie. The incident occurred on the evening of May 29, just days before Ellie was set to graduate from Eastgate School, a preschool for children with developmental disabilities. Ellie had made remarkable strides in overcoming challenges associated with autism, a fact noted by her preschool director.
Her younger sister, Vivianne Butterbaugh, also a student at Eastgate, was rescued from the burning home with Ellie and taken to Akron Children's Hospital for treatment. Their stepfather and Vivianne's father, Kody Butterbaugh, was hospitalized in stable condition with burn injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Stark County Sheriff's Office and Coroner's Office.
Eastgate School and the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities are providing grief counseling for staff and students. A moment of silence will be held at the graduation ceremony to honor Ellie and to pray for Vivianne's recovery. A GoFundMe fundraiser has been established to support the family as they face this unimaginable loss, having already raised over $17,500.
