Mom hurt in Ozarks fire that killed 5 kids remains unconscious, is unaware of tragedy

As relatives mourn the deaths of five children by fire in the Ozarks this past week, they also must grapple with how best to tell a mother that two of her children are gone.

Alexandra "Alee" Malleck, 20, remains heavily sedated after suffering second- and third-degree burns Wednesday, mainly to her face, neck, arms, hands and chest, in the deadly home fire in Lebanon, Mo., said Malleck's mother, Lori Carrillo.

Malleck was pulled from the burning home by Lebanon fire personnel and was airlifted to a Springfield hospital.

She underwent skin grafting surgery on Friday. Doctors removed dead or damaged skin and transplanted new tissue. She'll also need reconstructive surgery, Carrillo said.

Damage to her lungs from smoke inhalation is the most troubling, though, Carrillo added. Doctors have kept her sedated while she is on a ventilator that's helping her to breathe.

The earliest she'll regain consciousness is Monday, but Carrillo said nurses have indicated she'll be under for several days after that.

A former volunteer firefighter who assisted on the scene said he saw Malleck after she was rescued.

"I didn't think she was going to make it when she left," Dean Hernandez said. "Paramedics said she had a 10 percent chance (of survival)."

Medical staff gave every indication to Carrillo that her daughter will live, but she'll wake to a nightmare.

"She doesn't know anything that's happened," Carrillo said. "I'm not even sure how we go about (telling her). ... Something as a family we'll just have to do."

On Wednesday, Malleck brought her two children, 1-year-old Andre and 6-month-old Patience, to the mobile home of her brother-in-law, Kelley Hunt, who had asked her to babysit his three children.

Malleck had driven to the home early in the morning, to arrive before Hunt left for work at 5:45 a.m., Carrillo said. The family believes she and the children were sleeping when the fire started.

Hunt's three children also died in the fire: Ethan, 5; Maeanna, 2; and Benjamin, 1.

When Malleck was pregnant with Andre, she lived with her parents to help care for her father, who had cancer and was receiving hospice care.

"He kept telling his hospice nurses that he was waiting for the baby. He was looking forward to meeting Andre," Carrillo said.

But he went into a coma before Andre arrived, missing an opportunity to meet the "perfect baby" by mere hours.

Andre cried rarely and could be easily comforted.

"He loved to laugh and to make people laugh," Carrillo said. "He loved music, just like his mom."

Patience was more prone to crying, but "she sure could steal your heart."

"Alee tried to video call me almost every day so I could see and talk to my grandbabies," Carrillo said. "I can’t even imagine how all our lives are going to change without these two beautiful babies."

A GoFundMe account has been established to defray the family's medical and funeral expenses. It has raised about $1,200 of a $5,000 goal.

Carrillo added that donations will also be accepted at Arvest Bank in Lebanon. Piercing Addiction on Commercial Street is matching all donations it receives and will hold a bake sale on June 16.

This story was originally published June 9, 2018 at 7:09 PM with the headline "Mom hurt in Ozarks fire that killed 5 kids remains unconscious, is unaware of tragedy."