That is terrible news. I feel bad and offer my prayers for that family and the kids

My condolences to the family and hope that the husband makes it through at least.

I am sickened by this news and am praying for this family and their children.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

She was sweetest person, very intelligent and beautiful. She gave her time to help kindergarten children at the Ridge last year as a teacher aid. She enjoyed going on all the field trips with the children. Such a great loss. My son is the same age as her daughter. I feel so sad for the children.

God bless this family. If we can help please contact us.

Sorry to hear about this :(. My condolences to the family and friends.

Was so praying this wasn't going to happen. Do the kids have family local or a support system?

Erica was a wonderful woman, I am so glad I got the chance to know her through our book club and sports at OFHS. God bless her family.

God Bless this family.

The cause and origin of this fire is too early to tell. I will say that many of these fires this time of year are caused by holiday decorations (such as on christmas trees).

Do NOT leave your christmas lights on and go to bed or take a snooze. Again I am not claiming this is the cause of this fire but it is a common cause this time of year. Turn your lights off when you go to bed.

Erica dropped her child off at school at 8am then returned home.

This is just devastating news. Good, kind loving people. very welcoming to us when we moved into the neighborhood. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. : (

Mike how do you know it's arson??

I echoe with the prayers and please let us know how we can help these children.
What church do they go? maybe we can let them know how to reach us all who want to help. In these times of tragedy we need to act as a caring community.

Mike what article are you reading

If you are going to post facts about the case it would be helpful if you would list your source so that we may confirm. My daughters said school was full of rumors about this and it is not helpful to the surviving kids to post unsubstantiated information. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, list your source, it gives you more credibility.

Brian says who

So sad, my condolences to the family and God Bless the children and protect them.

Thanks Lauren

Brian who is your source

My thoughts and prayers goes out to their family and friends especially the three children.

Our hearts are grieved and will remember the Rodriguez family in our prayers. May the Lord bring peace and comfort to the family.

Between Mike F and Brian S they need to quickly realize they are making a horrible situation so much worse by starting rumors. My sister knows the oldest daughter and I could not imagine what she is going through. Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends.

I did not know the family but live in the community. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

Is anything set up for donations for the children?

Mike F, but there is a million and one reasons that fire may have started. Unless you work for oak forest fire or criminal investigations, facts need to be behind a statement that the children could see and read that someone is suggesting foul play. From what I understand from my sister knowing the daughter and my parents knowing then from school activities and previous statements from neighbors, there is nothing from our point of view to suggest the fire was and I quote you "deliberately set"

It was a murder and attempted murder. The women was found dead in the house and the man was found on the porch with a wound that had nothing to do with the fire. The fire was a cover up. Now if this is related to the to escaped convicts, can't confirm, but Laura I am shocked that you really don't have the all the information or do you, and for some reason you are being quite about it!

Please be respectful of the family. 3 kids lost there mother. My son is friends with the daughter. I met Erica at a school awards ceremony. We talked for hours. She was very nice. She really loved her kids. I will pray for them. This has been a very sad week for so many people. Please pray for peace on earth!!!! Tina

Why is it that you people post information, but refuse to reveal the source?

My final remark on this conversation because the people posting this slander is disgusting will be that until the police give an official statement of what actually happened. My word is just as good as any of yours but the difference between me and you is that I am not stating extremely insensitive posts. I quote my sister right now "the idea of this being intentional is outrageous I've known that family forever"

Prayers and blessings to the family on the loss of their mother and wife. I pray the father pulls through. My heart weeps for the children in the loss of their mother. From reading other posts this seems like a great loss for our community from Erica a devoted helper to our children in the schools. Very sad.

Hello, commenters.

Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, the comments on this thread have now been set to "Moderate." An editor will review all comments before they appear live on the site.

Thank you,
Lauren Traut
Associate Regional Editor

My thoughts ad prayers to the Rodriguez children and their family and friends. This is devestating for these children. I would hope that those who continue to post their speculation of what happened would stop and think before posting more of their experienced thoughts. The police and fire department will determine the cause and Lauren will update everyone. Please think of the children!

Thanks you for screening the comments so people are unable to post things that are false and hurtful

I don't believe in censorship. That becomes dangerous in itself.

About time Lauren, I can't believe the Patch let unsubstantiated rumors to be post like that.

Not only are the family members distraught, their friends, including my daughter are grief stricken. As are many others. No need to post, just letting you know my thoughts.

You can't say it's been a slow news day.

I am devastated by this news Erica was a wonderful person I am heart broken by this. My son is friends with their youngest daughter and we are saying prayers for them. Please let us know if we can help the family! God Bless them

God give this family the strength to get through this nightmare! Our prayers are with you Sylvia, Arod and sweat little Gloria!
The Jager Family

Smells fishy.

Thoughts and prayers tonight for Erica and those poor children.

cheryl and my prayer go out to martin and his family we hope he recovers his family realy needs him

My prayers and love gose out the family . . I know them personally and Erica was a loving beautiful women . . And the kids are great kids . . I feel like this is a dream . . My thoughts and prayers to those kids and husband.

7-8 police cars still on the scene as I drove by. Doesn't seem like a normal fire investigation. I wonder what is going on over there?

My thoughts and prayers go out to the A Rod and his family. I hope God gives his father the strength to pull through this. It is hard enough to lose one parent, hope his father will make it. A Rod has been friends with my son since elementary school and middle school and now they are in high school together. If there is anything we can do for the family please let us know.

I challenge you who are all on the "conspiracy theory" type of agenda without the concrete evidence of foul play, to at least spend the same amount of time thinking this.
There are now 3 children, no mother, no home, no nothing as it was probably all lost due to fire/flame or smoke hazards, and its Christmas. One of them being 6. Remember when you were 6. Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and happiness. Of giving for us older members of society and for the presents when we were younger. The teens may cope better with having less expectations as a young kid who sat on Santa's lap in the mall, but at the same time all their memories they developed.
Being the holiday season and losing a family member, home, and your possessions, and people making accusations about your father.
Ok you have your right to your own opinions, but don't just concentrate on them. I am unbiased in this incident and willing to look at the full picture. That is my analytical mind to look at it. At the same time my compassionate side also wonders about the kids and how they are taking it. Wait for the prognosis of the investigation, stop jumping to conclusions. Remember all victims (not just the one who lost their life).
Take that as a challenge and how do you think you could help the kids.

I agree and thank the Patch for the actions they are taking. This is a news site, is it not? Is there anything we really need to know besides the fact that a lovely woman lost her life and three children lost their mother? As we have sadly learned this past weekend with the tragedy in CT reporting inaccurate information is only detrimental. We need to be mindful that there are children that are close to this family from the community that may be reading this.

10 o clock news said its a foul play investigation.

My heart and prayers go out to Sylvia, Andrew and Gloria. Their mother Erica was wonderful, vivacious and full of life. She brightened every room she walked in to and most certainly left everyone in it laughing. I am grateful to have known her in the brief time she was here with us. Rest in peace beautiful girl.

OF Resident
I am also disgusted with the rumors or the speculations on this horrific tragedy that this family has endured. These children have just lost their mother, and now waiting on the recovery of their father. The people making these speculations are you really that insensitive to post it on here!! Let the police do their job, and try praying for this family for the days ahead of them. May God comfort this family and wrap his loving arms around them during this difficult time!!

Shame on those of you posting negative, disrespectful things at a time like this! Put your "theories" aside, and take a moment to absorb the fact that 3 children lost their mother, their father is hospitalized, and their home is destroyed. You should be ashamed of yourselves. Unfortunately in this country, you have the right to free speech so ignorance can run rampant. However, I don't support your right to be a disrespectful jerk. God bless those poor kids and their grieving family.

I am so disappointed to read some of these comments and cannot believe that before you submit your postings you do not think or care about what the surviving children have just endured and the impact that this is having on the rest of the family and friends. My son is a very close friend of the family also attends OF Highschool and has been reading this stuff through out the day and disgusted that adults speak like this without having accurate information. Folks we should be thinking about the children and allow them to grieve for their loss without having to accidentally reading some the above comments. These children do not deserve this so please sensitive to their feelings and needs.

Alright, folks. We're shutting down the comment thread for the night. It will reopen tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.

Thanks for your contributions.

Lauren Traut,
Associate Regional Editor

Any update? I wanted to confirm what I heard from an OF police officer.

Has anybody heard any new news. How can we help these children please let md know if there is anything I can do. I am so deeply saddened by this Erica was a wonderful person my prayers are with this family.

Prayers to the children,family members, & friends... May God give you all strength during this sad time

Have you ever played "telephone" when you were a kid where someone starts out by whispering a sentence in someone's ear and that person, in turn, repeats it to the next person's ear, and so on and so on. In the end, after being repeated several times from one to another, the original sentence has oftened changed dramatically. Have you seen the 2000 movie "Gossip"; a real lesson on how damaging and out of control rumors can get. I know we are all worried about our families safety and are eager to get the facts concerning the circumstances surrounding the incident on Central Ave. It is especially more difficult on us as we are still reminded daily of the horrific news regarding Sandy Hook Elementary School. We all want to know what happened here and, some feel the need to share what "unofficial" info they have in order alert their neighbors and Oak Forest residents. Not knowing is very unsettling; but reading these various scenerios is down right scary, even if you meant well. So, I plead with you, now that you don't have an opportunity to share all of your thoughts here on this site, please don't play "telephone" out on the streets. Know that no info is still better than misinfo. During these difficult times, as hard as it is, can we try to reflect on the meaning of Christmas; why He was born, His sacrifice, and the promise He made to us. I pray we return His gift by demonstrating behavior that would be pleasing to Him.

A note from Mr. Beringer (Principal at Foster Elementary): At Foster and the other Forest Ridge School District 142 schools, staff members are coming together to offer support for the Rodriguez family by conducting a voluntary gift card drive. Staff members are volunteering to bring in $10 gift cards for Target, Kohl's, Jewel, Food 4 Less, Macy's and other local merchants that can help feed and clothe the family. Dr. Longo, Dr. Orzel and I will be bringing these donations to the family on Friday.

If you would like to volunteer your support to the family, we will also take any donations you wish to make to the family as well. You can drop them off at Foster by the end of the day Thursday.

Most importantly, please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.

Now there is news that there has been some foul play involved (Source: Oak Forest Patch). What I find interesting are two of the first few comments from Deb and Graham earlier in this list of postings. Deb mentions..."Was so praying this wasn't going to happen" and Grahan - "I suspected this was going to happen". What does that even mean? Sounds like you suspected something.

No matter what the out come is their are 3 kids with out a Mother and possibly a Father if this case turns out to be foul play. 3 parent-less kids who have to live with the fact that either a crime of passion took place or that an unknown assailant might have been a 3rd party to this horrific indecent. No matter how it's chalked up these kids lost everything in 1 hour. Instead of feeding your lust too know the details try occupying that time with figuring out a way to help these kids through this. My Son is good friends with the daughter and devastated for her and the incident. It will all come to light sooner or later but the community should rally around and figure out a way to lessen the blow/impact of this tragedy on these innocent loving children. May God be with them at this horrific time.

My heart goes out to this family!!! My son played basketball at Faith and plays football at ofhs with Arod and he is a great kid. This is a tragic situation and I hope they have strong family ties to help them through this difficult time.

Who is "Deb pahl Steam" & "Graham" you ppl seen this coming WHAT! You know nothing these were nice ppl and victims....i see where your going with this you should stop right there Perry Mason keep your unfounded speculations to your self its not wanted here!!

Before anyone leaves a comment, you need to consider the family. There are children involved here. We are called to show love on people. None of us are super-sleuths. We are a community and need to come together to help this family. Use not only discretion, but compassion. Are we that de/un-sensitized? Tragedy is not something to cast our opinion on. Let the OFPD do their job. If you want to do some good; donate clothing and toys and by all means;pray for this family.

I have read this entire thread because I too am a mother of a dauther who is close friends to the eldest daughter....this tradedy has affected my family...my daughter cries herself to sleep at night....there is more to this story...stop speculating and talking about suff that you do not know is fact....let the criminal investigaton do their jobs before you judge.

Well still, no one mentioned anything about why 2 people here "saw this coming".