Conshy brothers who lost mother face more tragedy

Three Conshohocken brothers whose father was arrested last weekend in the slaying of their mother are once again homeless.

A fire damaged the Plymouth Township home where the Giongo brothers were staying, township police spokesman Joe Lawrence said today, uprooting the youths and forcing them to find new lodging. The Red Cross was working to find housing for the three boys, Lawrence said.

The brothers - ages 7, 10 and 18 - had been staying at their grandmother's house in the Plymouth Valley section of Plymouth Township since their mother's body was discovered Sunday in their Conshohocken home, Lawrence said.

Joseph Giongo, 44, has been charged with murder, accused of beating his wife, Bernadette Giongo, 42, to death.

Firefighters were called to the grandmother's house in the 800 block of Woodbrook Lane on Tuesday just after 9:20 p.m. A fire had broken out in the chimney, and smoke was coming out of the attic. The fire was extinguished and no one was injured, Lawrence said.

Fire personnel were called back at 7:41 a.m. today after flames moved into the interior walls.

Although the house was not destroyed, the family cannot stay there, said Detective Todd Jordan of the Plymouth Township Police Department.

Friends, neighbors and community members have come forward to support of the Giongo brothers.

"There's been an outpouring from people in the community, individuals, businesses donating money to the family," Lawrence said. "This time of year it's a really nice thing to see."

Donations can be sent to the Giongo Children's Fund, c/o Continental Bank, 661 W. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Pa. 19462.

Karen Gross, a volunteer for Mommy's Light, an Exton organization that helps children who have lost their mothers, has reached out to the family.

"Once they contact us, they will have an army of people to help them - hundreds of people who are going to reach out to the community on their behalf," Gross said.