Woman Found Dead at Cranston Fire was Expectant Mother

The 32-year-old woman who was found dead by Cranston firefighters battling a suspicious fire in a third floor apartment on Marcy street Friday night has been identified as Aliss Collins.

Cranston Police Chief Michael J. Winquist said Saturday that Collins was pregnant when she died and the cause of death has not yet been determined by the state Medical Examiner.

Police are treating the death of Collins and her unborn baby as a homicide due to ”observations made by firefighters while inside the apartment” and reports by witnesses who said they saw a black man weighing about 240 pounds running away from the apartment shortly after the fire began, Winquist said.

The person of interest was wearing an orange or red hooded sweatshirt and black shorts, police said.

Firefighters were dispatched to the apartment at about 7:42 p.m. for a report of a fire in the third floor apartment at 35/37 Marcy St. The fire was contained to Collins’ apartment and no other units were damaged.

Collins was transported to Rhode Island Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Winquist said Collins shared the apartment with a roommate.

Based on what firefighters saw inside the apartment, police obtained a search warrant and the scene continued to be processed by Cranston detectives along with members of the Rhode Island State Police Criminal Identification Unit.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call Cranston Police Det. John Cardone at 401-477-5047 or Det. Micahel Iacone at 401-500-6582.

Anonymous tips can also be sent through the departments website at www.cranstonpoliceri.com.

Photo by Everett Trainer