Adonijah Foster, Child Born on ‘Three Wives, One Husband’ Dies in Tragic House Fire

Tragedy has struck the Foster family from Three Wives, One Husband, the TLC reality show that documents a polygamist families in Rockland Ranch, Utah. Two-year-old Adonijah “Adoni” Foster, the youngest child of the show’s stars Enoch and Lillian, died tragically  in a house fire on Saturday.

Little Adonijah’s birth was shown during the first episode of ‘Three Wives, One Husband,’ which premiered last month in the United States. (It aired overseas last year.) Adonijah was the 17th of Enoch’s 20 children.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Enoch stated that, before the fire broke out, Adonijah had been caught playing with matches. He was later put down for a nap by his mother, who was in the family’s backyard when the fire broke out in the bedroom where Adonijah was sleeping.

Members of the Foster family attempted to save the toddler from the blaze. The Tribune reported that, according to Enoch, Adonijah’s seven-year-old sister first saved her three-year-old brother and then tried to get Adonijah to safety but she was unsuccessful. A 17-year-old sister tried to help also. Both sisters ended up with non-life-threatening injuries. Adonijah was pronounced dead by medical personnel about 30 minutes after the fire broke out.

According to In Touch Weekly, Adonijah’s mother Lillian “suffered from smoke inhalation and she had to be airlifted to the nearest hospital for treatment,” where she was said to be in shock.

A GoFundMe page that has been set up to help the family with funeral and home repair costs. (The Foster family lived in a home made up of three apartments. One apartment was destroyed, so the remaining 20+ family members have been living in the two remaining apartments, according to The Tribune.)

“The Fosters have helped so many people expecting nothing in return,” the GoFundMe states. “This family can use all the support they can get and I know they will be forever grateful. Let’s rally together and help them overcome a growing financial burden during this tragic time. All money donated will go to medical and funeral expenses, as well as repairing the damage to the home.”

Adonijah’s birth, as shown on ‘Three Wives, One Husband.’
The GoFundMe has currently raised over $40,000 of its $50,000 goal.

Little Adonijah’s funeral is scheduled for Sunday at the Rockland Ranch Cemetery near Moab, Utah.

A clip of Adonijah’s birth can be seen in the video below:

(Photo: GoFundMe)

20 Comments

  1. Really tragic, what were matches doing in a baby’s bedroom? Having so many children that you cannot look after the little ones is negligent. I feel very sorry for all of these children, the authorities need to investigate how this happened.


  2. The saddest news I’ve read in a very long time, and that’s really saying something 🙁 I hope that the sister wives/families will do everything they can to help Lillian and Enoch, and help to care for their children. So much love and sympathy to this family <3<3


  3. It is so upsetting that this happened. I never watched the show but it saddens me that a child is gone over something like this. To be a parent and to lose your child after such a short time is hard. Having lost your child over an accident is even more sudden. But to have your child die and the lives of all other family members were also at risk over an accident that could have bern been prevented holds so much more guilt in your heart. I hope the baby is resting peacefully in heaven and that the family gets some help and prayers through this difficult time. This is going to stay with them till the end of their lives.

    I hope all reading this appreciates their lives, their children and what they have in life. Sometimes we forget and we forget to thank and love everyone we have around us.


  4. I am sick reading this. It doesn’t make sense, but it happened. So regardless, I can’t begin to grasp the heartache they are feeling. Gosh I hope they find some peace in this.


  5. I’m so confused, if he was playing with matches but they got taken away, how did the fire start? and how did 2 sisters ‘save’ him but then didn’t? I really hope there isn’t more to this story and it turns out it could have been prevented but wasn’t due to religious beliefs or neglect or something….it just sounds strange


    1. First off, the seven year old saved a three year old, not this baby who is two.

      I’m guessing a match was lit and slowly spread or due to heat things (including people) can reignite. If they left the match on the floor or anything it could have helped itself to start the fire. Lastly my then two now three year old loves to hide things in his pockets, which is another possibility.

      Can’t imagine the pain of this family.


  6. I’m so sorry for their loss but the story isn’t really making sense. It almost sounds like this story of a diabolical two year old. He was playing with matches and then was put down for a nap but he what still had a pull up full of matches he swiped to play with later?


  7. A two year old playing with matches?? That makes no sense. First, how on earth would a two year old get a hold of matches? Second, I have never seen a two year old with the hand / eye coordination needed to strike a match. I don’t get this at all. Third, were there not smoke detectors near the babies room?

    Prayers to the family and to the baby who passed. This is an absolutely horrible story.


  8. This brakes my heart. I wonder how he got a hold of them again? Did he have another pack hid-? You never know with toddlers,as a mother I know my boy was my hardest and and my neighbor caught him outside with her son with our gas can getting ready to and my husband is a police officer was totally embarrassed.That turned out ok sometimes most the time they dont.I can’t even imagine the pain they are feeling. right now


    1. I guess I should have said my son was older 5 and I remember getting caught playing with fire and matches outside by my father. I still remember telling my friend act like we weren’t doing anything and then I said So how do you like this weather?
      ( I was BUSTED it didn’t work)


  9. No matter what religion we all are I think we can agree that this is horrible. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.


    1. Amen to that.

      I’m not understanding the down votes on all the condolence comments on here? All comments are legitimately comments so far are not in anyway mean or nasty.


      1. The downvotes seem to be on any post that points out that this story doesn’t make complete sense or wondering how the toddler got matches. I am also confused about that. How did a two year old light a match? That takes a certain level of coordination.

        This is just tragic and I’m sure the mom is racked with guilt.

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