Mom charged for fatal fire

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio woman who police say was drunk when her two young daughters died in a December apartment fire has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Columbus police say 34-year-old Valerie Windom, of Columbus, was indicted Wednesday on two counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of child endangering in the deaths of her 7-year-old and 5-year-old daughters.

She escaped the Dec. 18 blaze. But authorities say her daughters were upstairs sleeping and died in the fire.

Police say a blood-alcohol test showed that Windom was intoxicated.

The Franklin County prosecutor says fire officials determined that food left on a stove caused the fire.

A court hearing is scheduled Feb. 22. There was no Columbus telephone listing for Windom.

It could not be determined immediately whether she has an attorney.