The parents of five children who were killed in a house fire have been tested for drug use and Bentonville police are working with the prosecutor to determine if any criminal charges are warranted.

Tuesday's fire at the residence of Jamie Dale Frazier and Karry A. Mahmens Frazier took the lives of the couple's five daughters,
ages 5-13. Authorities suspect the fire started from an electric space heater upstairs and was accidental. The parents were sleeping downstairs and could not reach their children upstairs because of the smoke and flames.

After the fire, police seized small amounts of what they believe was methamphetamine and marijuana, along with drug paraphernalia.

They want to determine if the parents were impaired at the time of the fire.

Benton County Circuit Court records show the Fraziers have no record of drug offenses.

The couple cooperated with a court order and had their blood tested Tuesday afternoon.

Police likely will transfer the samples and other evidence to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock by the end of this week.
They do not know when the lab results will be available.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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