Authorities identify man and children found dead in Merced County fire

The identities of a man and two children found dead after a structure caught fire in Delhi earlier this month have been identified by authorities as 57-year-old Franklin Compton Jr., 5-year-old Rocky Compton and 11-year-old Aaron Caldwell.

Authorities said it is unclear just how Franklin and Rocky Compton are related.

Merced County Sheriff deputies and Cal Fire personnel responded at about 1 a.m. on Jan. 8, to the fire which burned an un-permitted detached structure located behind a primary residence in the 9000 block of Sands Road in Delhi.

When law enforcement arrived on scene, the structure was fully engulfed and it was not possible for rescue personnel to enter deputies said. After the fire was extinguished, authorities located the man, two children and a dog deceased. Fire officials said it appears there were no smoke alarms inside the building.

The Merced County Sheriff’s Office is working with Cal Far to investigate the incident. Authorities said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.