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A local family is in need after a fire claimed their home and possessions.

The two-story residence of Nathan and Shonda Lowrie, located on 198 Becky Drive in Howardwick, burned on June 23. First Assistant Chief Jeremy Powell of the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department said the fire started at 2:26 a.m. from a BBQ pit.

The family, consisting of Nathan and Shonda and their 17-year-old son, 12-year-old daughter, 16-year-old niece, and family friend, were asleep when the fire started, a
family member said.

Alicia Medina, who was staying with them at the time, got up to get a drink of water and thought she smelled something. Meanwhile, Nathan got up to check on his coughing daughter and smelled smoke. They evacuated the house, and Shonda dialed 911. They only got out with the clothes they had on: no shoes or car keys.

The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department arrived on scene at 2:36 a.m.
The fire destroyed the house, two vehicles, a small fishing boat, tools, mowers and other equipment that Nathan used to earn a living, damaged two other vehicles, and claimed the life of their small dog before the firefighters extinguished it at 6:30 a.m. There were no injuries.

The Lowries had full coverage on the two vehicles but had no insurance on their house. They are currently staying with Nathan’s parents.

A fund for them is set up at the Donley County State Bank.
“People have been very nice,” Nathan’s mother Paula said. “There’s been an influx of clothing come in, and they now have several changes of clothes.”
A total of 13 volunteer firefighters from Clarendon and Howardwick Volunteer Fire Departments and ten trucks responded to the fire. The Donley County Sheriff’s Office and Clarendon EMS also arrived on scene.

Five months after he was accused of beating his four-year-old son to death, Robert Babcock remains in the Donley County Jail.

A rumor surfaced last week that Babcock was being released, but District Attorney Luke Inman tells the Enterprise that there has been no change in the defendant’s “status.”
“We are in the final stages of investigation and are preparing for a possible grand jury presentation,” Inman told the Enterprise Monday.

Inman did say that a motion was filed on January 24 regarding the mental competency of the defendant and that District Judge Stuart Messer at that time ordered an evaluation of mental competency. The Donley County Clerk’s office confirmed that and said no other motions were on file and also said there was nothing on file indicating whether the examination had taken place.

Inman said the grand jury is next scheduled to meet in Donley County on June 29, but he could not say that Babcock’s case would be presented at that time.

Babcock is accused of causing the death of Chance Mark Jones, who died on January 5. According to previous reports, preliminary results of an autopsy conducted the next day revealed that boy died from blunt force trauma to the head and that he also suffered internal injuries from trauma to the torso.

The defendant was formally charged with Capital Murder and Domestic Violence, and bond was set at $1.1 million.