BOISE -- The mother of a 4-year-old girl who died inside a burning car April 10 was high on methamphetamine when the fire broke out in the parking lot of a Boise Walmart, prosecutors say.
Jennifer A. Miller, 31, is now facing an additional two counts of felony injury to a child, as well as two possible sentencing enhancements for infliction of great bodily harm.
Alliee Rose, 4, was sleeping in a parked car in the Walmart lot with her mother and younger brother when a portable heater inside the vehicle sparked the fire. The flames spread quickly, engulfing the vehicle.
Girl dies in Boise car fire
Miller and her toddler were able to get out, but Alliee died at the scene.
The surviving child - identified in court documents only as L.R. - was seriously injured, and both he and Miller were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Prosecutor Katelyn Farley said Miller was under the influence of methamphetamine the morning of the fire, and was using the portable heater in an unsafe way, despite the manufacturer's warnings.
Miller was arrested and charged with felony injury to a child in May after police determined that her surviving child had ingested methamphetamine and heroin at some point between Jan. 1 and the day of the fire. The additional injury to a child counts were filed in June, bringing the total felony charges to three.
Alliee's father, 26-year-old Nicolas Rose, was also arrested last month and faces charges of burglary and theft. Police say he stole the heater that started the fire from a local store, but was not present when the blaze broke out.
Felony injury to a child carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Miller is due in court Sept. 7.
