A Queensland community is grieving the loss of a mother and two boys who died in a house fire that authorities are investigating as an arson. Jordana Johnson, 36, her son Jordan Norris, 13, and his friend Chazz Mather, 12, perished in the blaze that occurred on October 15 in Gladstone. The fire broke out at their home on Whiting Street in Toolooa around 6 a.m. Emergency responders arrived to find the top floor of the house had collapsed, complicating rescue efforts.

Police have charged 37-year-old Contessa Leigh Marie Richardson with three counts of murder and two counts of arson. She is scheduled for a bedside hearing in Brisbane. The fire took six crews two hours to control, during which neighbors reported hearing screams and a noise described as sounding like thunder.

In a show of solidarity, over 1,000 people gathered at Barney Point Beach on Saturday to honor Johnson and the two boys. The event included traditional dancing, a smoking ceremony, an ocean cleansing ceremony, and a water blessing. This beach, known as Yallarm to the Gooreng Gooreng people, holds special significance as a healing place.

Aunty Juliri Ingra, a Gooreng Gooreng elder and Jordana's cultural grandmother, expressed gratitude for the community's support. "I just want to thank all the community of Gladstone, or Yallarm as we call it, for being here for us and our family as we mourn our loved ones," she said. She described Jordana as a "proud Gooreng Gooreng girl" and emphasized the strong connections between the Gooreng Gooreng and Maori communities.

Zinnia Gosley, a member of Gladstone's Maori community, noted that Chazz's family has been receiving support from the local Maori community, as they had no family nearby. "We came together to give them all support," she said. The families of Chazz and Jordan described their close friendship, stating they treated each other like brothers.

In a joint statement, they said, "Our lives, and all those that loved and knew Jordana, Jordan, and Chazz are forever changed." Jordana was remembered as a loving mother who dedicated herself to her children. An online fundraiser has raised over $33,000 to assist the families affected by this tragedy. Richardson's case has been adjourned to a later date, as the investigation continues.