EGG HARBOR CITY — Friends and classmates on Thursday mourned a mother and her 7-year-old son found dead during a suspicious fire at their Washington Avenue home Wednesday morning.
A vigil is planned Friday night.
Neighbors and public documents identified the victims as Michelle Heist and Gavin Pabst, a second-grade student at Charles L. Spragg Elementary School.
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office has not released the victims’ identities.
“He was the sweetest little boy I’ve ever seen,” said Kateland Johnson, who lives across the street. “He was so good. He always gave my (2-year-old daughter) hugs.”
Authorities have not released information on how the mother and son died or how the fire — reported about 8 a.m. — started.
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Johnson said the pair lived at the home with Heist’s boyfriend, whom she said was bloodied as he was carried out on a stretcher Wednesday morning.
Police said a man was hospitalized in stable condition but have not identified him.
Meanwhile, the Egg Harbor City Public School District had grief counselors on hand for staff and students Thursday at its elementary and middle schools, Superintendent Adrienne Shulby said.
“The student’s personality was bigger than life. He will be greatly missed by the staff and his classmates. His mother was his biggest supporter, and our school family is grieving today,” she said. “We, as a school community, are devastated by this loss.”
Neighbor Nicole Kaufmann, who is the mother of three sons and is pregnant with her first daughter, said she felt devastated even though she didn’t know Heist and her son well.
“I’m lost for words,” she said, adding she often saw Gavin riding his bike down the street.
Kaufmann said she came home from dropping off her kids at school Wednesday and couldn’t park on her street, there were so many fire and other vehicles there.
A neighbor said Thursday night that a vigil was planned for 6 p.m. tonight for the family at Key Rec Field on Duerer Street.
An Egg Harbor City police car remained on the scene of the roped-off house Thursday evening.
Staff Writer Michelle Brunetti Post contributed to this report.
Contact Brian Ianieri:
609-272-7253
@BIanieri on Twitter
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