Families sue owners of Western Apartments in Sterling, accused arsonist in deaths of woman, children

MORRISON – The families of the two children and the woman who perished in the Western Apartments fire in Sterling two years ago are suing the owners of the building and the man accused of setting it ablaze.

Celina Serrano, 13, her cousin, Shyla Walker, 8, who was visiting from the Quad Cities; and Carrie A. (Hall) Hose, a 49-year-old neighbor, died in the fire that investigators say was set by Steven W. Coleman, 42, of Rock Falls.

One suit also claims that a survivor, the brother of Shyla Walker, witnessed the fire being set, and saw the man who did it, which has caused him severe trauma and emotional distress.

It does not name Coleman as the arsonist.

Coleman is in Whiteside County jail on $1 million bond, charged with 10 counts of murder and arson.

Celina’s mother, Alma Walker, 37, Carrie’s mother, Kathy E. Hall, 71, Celina’s sister, Teleah, now 14, and her brother Eric Serrano, 16, are the plaintiffs in one wrongful death suit, filed Tuesday in Whiteside County Court against Western Apartments owners Aaron P. and Dianah L Young, of Morrison, their company, Step Seven LLC, and Coleman.

Walker, Teleah and Eric escaped the fire that night, and also are seeking damages for their injuries.

Faith Walker, mother of Shyla, is suing Step Seven. Her suit was filed May 27.

According to the Serrano/Hall suit, Step Seven and the Youngs failed to keep the building, one of two at 908 W. Fourth St., up to city, state and federal fire and building codes; failed to install and/or maintain fire and smoke alarms; failed to provide lighting that would work in the event of smoke or fire in the building; failed to keep the building from falling into disrepair, causing hazards exacerbated by the fire; and failed to provide adequate emergency exits.

It seeks in excess of $50,000 in damages, court costs and a jury trial.

Teleah and her mother suffered burns to their faces, heads and hands, as well as acute respiratory failure and carbon monoxide poisoning. They have permanent scarring and mutilation. Walker also suffered toxic smoke inhalation and asphyxiation, the suit says.

Eric Serrano suffered concussions, abrasions and trauma from his escape, it says.

The Walker suit, filed on behalf of Shyla’s estate and her brother, Shaun P. Walker, who also was visiting his cousins that night, makes many of the same claims: that Step Seven failed to install and maintain fire and smoke alarms, failed to maintain the building, kept and maintained flammable conditions, and failed to provide emergency exits.

Not only was Shyla killed, but Shaun also was traumatized by her death, and because he saw the man start the fire, the suit says.

It also seeks in excess of $50,000 in damages, plus court costs.

Investigators say Coleman set the fire about 12:30 a.m. in a drug deal gone bad. He is charged with six counts of murder, each punishable by 20 to 60 years or up to life in prison, and four arson-related charges, three aggravated arson charges that carry terms of six to 30 years in prison and one residential arson charge that carries a term of four to 15 years.

A longtime felon with a long history of substance abuse- and theft-related convictions in Whiteside, Lee and Carroll counties, Coleman was on parole at the time of the fire, which destroyed one of the complex’s two buildings. That building still is boarded up and empty.

He has a pretrial hearing June 28.

Sterling attorney James Mertes is representing Serrano and Hall. Rockford attorney James K. Thiesen is representing Walker.

The defendants have not yet filed a response to either suit.

Aaron Young declined to comment, as did his attorney, Richard Waris of Pretzel & Stouffer in Chicago, citing the pending litigation.

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Vigil hled for Sterling fire victims Brandon Adams hugs his grandmother, Kathy Hall, Wednesday, June 1, 2020, at a vigil held on the two-year anniversary of a fire at Western Apartments in Sterling that killed Carrie A. Hose, his mother and her daughter, and as well as Celina Serrano, 13, of Sterling and her cousin, Shyla Walker, 8, of the Quad Cities. About 30 people attended the memorial at the building at 908 W. Third St. The owners of the building, Aaron and Dianah Young of Morrison, their company, Step Seven LLC, and accused arsonist Steven Coleman of Rock Falls all are being sued for wrongful death in relation to the fire. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@shawmedia.com/credit)