Canton mourns mother, four children killed in devastating house fire

The Canton community came together Friday for an emotional farewell to a young mother and her four children who died in a house fire last week.

Jasmine Henson, known to friends and family as Alyx, was laid to rest alongside her four children during a funeral service at Main Street Baptist Church.

The church was filled with flowers, grieving loved ones, classmates and neighbors — all gathering to celebrate five lives lost in the tragedy.

“It just broke my heart when I walked in to see the five coffins, four little ones. It just broke my heart for the family and her,” family friend Thomas Rucker said.

Rucker, a former teacher of Henson’s who also works at Main Street Baptist Church, was among those mourning the family.

Henson’s partner and their 7-year-old son, who escaped the flames last Wednesday morning, were also among those attending the service.

“In a small town, it’s almost like a homecoming. It was very special to us,” Rucker said.

The loss has been felt throughout Canton ISD, where all but Henson’s youngest child, 3-year-old Avrii, attended school.

Classes were dismissed early Friday as the community gathered to pay its respects.

Young children arrived at the church alongside their parents. Some carried stuffed animals, while others held tightly to their mothers and fathers as they joined the community in mourning.

Following the funeral service, the family headed to the cemetery for a private final goodbye.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.