National autism support advocate, 15-year-old son die in Fremont house fire

A house fire early Saturday morning in the Sundale neighborhood of Fremont has claimed the lives of a nationally-respected autism support advocate and her teenage son.

Family members have confirmed the deaths of 43-year-old Feda Almaliti and her 15-year-old son, Muhammed, in a one-alarm fire in their home in the 39000 block of Serra Place in Fremont. Firefighters arrived at 1:45 a.m. to find the residence, in the 39000 block of Serra Place, fully engulfed in flames.

Four people were home at the time, according to Fremont fire officials. The other occupants were uninjured.

Almaliti was vice president of the National Council on Severe Autism. She was also a commissioner on the city of Fremont’s Human Relations Commission.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.