Van Zandt County family to be buried Friday after home fire
Funerals are scheduled for a mother and four children who died in an October mobile home fire, with school districts releasing students early to attend.
By Lina Lewis ·
A mobile home fire in Van Zandt County last week killed five members of a single family, prompting a community gathering this week. Funeral services for Jasmine Henson and her four children are scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m. at the Main Street Baptist Church in Grand Saline.
The victims were Henson, 10-year-old Robert, 8-year-old Troy, 5-year-old Levi, and 3-year-old Avrii. The blaze destroyed their residence near Canton on Oct. 21. Two family members survived the incident: Henson’s long-time partner, Cody Mitchell, and their 7-year-old son, Grayson.
Local school districts in Grand Saline and Canton are dismissing students early on Friday to allow children to participate in the funeral. Officials are still investigating the origin of the fire, and no cause has been determined yet.
The Henson and Mitchell families issued a joint statement asking for privacy and compassion. They requested that the community allow them time and space to grieve and support one another. The families specifically asked for continued prayers for Cody and Grayson as they recover.
Bartley Funeral Home in Grand Saline set up a donation fund to help cover the cost of the funeral expenses. A separate GoFundMe campaign was established to assist Cody and Grayson with rebuilding their lives after the loss of the home.
The next major step for the families is the burial ceremony on Friday afternoon. The school districts will handle the early dismissal logistics, and the funeral home will manage the financial contributions from the community.
