Fire leaves boy's family devastated

A two-year-old boy died following a mobile home fire at Lowes Trailer Park on Monday afternoon on February 25.

At around 3:57 p.m. on Monday, the Grayson County E-911 office received a call reporting a structure fire at 502 Salt River Road, Lot 15.

According to a Kentucky State Police report, the Leitchfield Fire Department was notified upon arrival that Cody R. Payton was inside the mobile home.

The trailer was fully engulfed in flames when the fire department arrived.

Several firefighters enter the mobile home and carried Cody from the structure. He was then transported to Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center where he later died.

“I was called to the hospital about 5 p.m,' said Grayson County Corner Joe Brad Hudson. “The initial autopsy showed the boy had died of smoke inhalation with over 50% of his body burned.”

“He had been left in the care of a step-grandfather, Paul Carnes at the time of the fire,” stated Hudson.

Cody's parents, Katrine and Justin Payton were not at home at the time of the fire. Katrina was out of town and Justin was working at the time of the fire, added Hudson.

The exact cause of the fire is under investigation by the Kentucky State Fire Marshall.

“We are looking at the kitchen living room area as the site where the fire started,” said Deputy Fire Marshall, Chris Crawford. “At this point we have no idea what caused it and the fire remains under investigation.”

Reporter

tdunn@gcnnewsgazette.com