Young Mother, Infant Killed In Georgia House Fire, Father Severely Burnt

A 24-year-old Georgia elementary school worker and her 14-month-old daughter died in a tragic house fire Sunday while the father of the child suffered severe burns, authorities said.

Fire officials with the Cartersville Fire Department responded to a home on Oakdale Drive in Bartow County just after 3:30 a.m., ET. Authorities received reports about two persons being trapped inside, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Upon arrival, firefighters encountered thick plumes of smoke and fire. The mother and the child were spotted upstairs after authorities fanned the place, and were taken outside the house where emergency responders were waiting, the outlet reported, citing a news release from the cops.

The child was pronounced dead at the scene while her mother was taken to a hospital where she was declared dead. The father, Brady Hammonds, was rushed to a burn center, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, citing authorities. The police didn't provide an update on his health status.

The mother was identified as Taylor Hammond and her daughter as Lennon Hammond. How and where the fire started remains undermined. The Bartow County Fire Department is probing the matter, according to Coosa Valley News.

Taylor was a special needs pre-kindergarten paraprofessional at Pine Log Elementary School. The Bartow County Schools mourned her death in a Facebook post. "Calm, gentle, and patient; they’re all characteristics that made Taylor Hammonds an extraordinary special needs pre-kindergarten paraprofessional at Pine Log Elementary School," the post read. "Her unexpected passing instantly left a void in her classroom and school community that can never be filled."

"She was a young mother and loved her daughter, Lennon, more than anything," Sharon Hibberts, Taylor’s friend, told the school district. "I think her strong maternal instincts helped her with her relationships with the pre-K children."

"Taylor was so good at what she did," Jannell Atkins, another friend of Taylor said. "Being a natural nurturer to these sweet kids and our team is what completed our team. Taylor loved these kids as her own."

"It’s just a very bad situation," Cartersville Fire Department Battalion Chief Hagen Champion told Channel 2 Action News.