Loretta Shirah, 24, is on edge. She's white and her three children are biracial - white and African American. Because of the circumstances, leaders from a biracial support group want to help other mothers in similar situations.
"I've lost everything, everything. I have worked hard for, for my kids, everything," said Loretta Shirah.
First someone burned a cross in her yard, then a few days later Loretta Shirah's house burned down. "They're setting houses on fire because my kids are biracial," she says.
One man is charged with the cross burning. Investigators still aren't saying whether or not the house fire is the work of an arsonist or even connected. Either way, Loretta lost everything.
"My kids clothes, toys, everything, TV’s, furniture, all of its gone," said Shirah.
Rita Frazier works for A Place for Us National, a support group for multiracial families. "My heart went out to her. How hard it must be, fear, don't know who’s doing it."
Frazier advises anyone in similar circumstances to act quickly; call the police or call the FBI as soon as you feel threatened and get out like Loretta did.
"She did the right thing. I don't know would have happened if she had been there. I told her Saturday, 'Thank God you are still alive and your children are still alive'," said Frazier.
"They're children, they are just kids, they're babies. I don't understand, they are babies, just babies,” said Shirah.
It could take state police weeks before test results get back to determine whether or not the fire was intentionally set. Another cross burning incident happened last year in Malvern. This is the first time a cross burning incident has taken place in Donaldson.
For more information on the support group for multi racial families, A Place For Us National visit
aplaceforusnational.com
