Mother escapes from second-floor balcony in fatal fire

The mother of a 4-year-old boy who was killed in a house fire in an unincorporated area near Compton escaped from a second-floor balcony as flames tore through the home, authorities said Thursday night.

The mother told investigators that she was resting on the second floor with her son when she smelled smoke, said Lt. Mark Rossen of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

She said she tried to escape down the stairs, apparently by herself, but was beaten back by choking smoke and forced to escape from the balcony. It was unclear whether she jumped or was helped by neighbors, Rossen said.

She told firefighters her son was inside the home. He was found unconscious near a first-floor bathroom and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, officials said.