Couple Convicted Of Manslaughter In Children's Death -- Boy, Girl Killed In Fire When Left Home Alone

TACOMA - A Puyallup couple has been found guilty in the death of two children trapped in a burning trailer, the first manslaughter conviction of its kind in Washington.

Brian Irish and Stephanie Hamilton were found guilty of second-degree manslaughter following a July 15 fire that killed their 11-month-old daughter, Alisha Irish, and Hamilton's 5-year-old son, Nathan Tavenner.

This is the first time anyone in the state has been convicted of manslaughter who did not directly cause a person's death, according to the Pierce County prosecutor's office.

The jury deliberated less than an hour yesterday before reaching a verdict that could send the couple to prison for up to 14 months.

The verdict was announced this morning.

The couple had been the subject of 11 child-neglect complaints since 1986, according to the state Department of Social and Health Services, although the state had never removed the children from the home.

The night of the fire, Hamilton and Irish left their mobile home to buy beer, leaving the children home alone.

Prosecutor Barbara Corey-Boulet argued that the couple's behavior suggested "beer was more important than their children," according to the Associated Press.

The fire, which smoldered for an hour or more before igniting, began after a telephone directory was placed over the cord of a table lamp.

The 50-foot trailer had no smoke alarm.

The children died of smoke inhalation.