A Blessed Day to All of You. Welcome to DJ Shan Stories.
Turn on your notification bell, like, and subscribe for daily crime stories. Today’s story is about a mother and her three children, which has gone viral online. We will discuss the root cause of the incident, the opinions of some netizens, and also touch on the relevant laws surrounding this case.

Recently, the entire Philippines was shaken by shocking news. In Bulacan, a mother and her three children died in a fire. However, it was later discovered that the blaze was not caused by an accident. Tragically, it was the children’s own mother who ended their lives.

This story was requested by our loyal subscribers Hardy Meia 5854 and Chris Moare. Thank you so much for your unwavering support.

In Bulacan, the mother, Joyce Rodrigo, 28 years old, originally from Batangas, studied BSIT Major in Business Analytics at STI College along EDSA. After graduating, she worked at Odyssey store, which sold CDs at a mall in Fairview. Her husband was identified as Kimwell Aspero, a 34-year-old police corporal assigned to the Philippine Maritime Police in Batangas. According to Joyce’s social media, she and Kimwell had been in a relationship since 2016.

They got married on September 15, 2021, and had three sons: their eldest Kimwell Zan, 5 years old; second child Kyle, 3; and their youngest Kyro, just 1 year old. Joyce and her children lived in Barangay San Vicente, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, while Kimwell was often away for work due to frequent reassignments. Joyce was a full-time mom and ran a small rice business from home.

Joyce regularly vlogged her life as a mother on Facebook and YouTube. She documented her daily routines—waking up, cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, and caring for her children. Her love for her kids was evident in every post. She also shared milestones, videos, and pictures of her children. In October 2024, their youngest son Cairo was baptized. The family were members of a Bible Baptist Church.

On April 11, 2021, Joyce posted about her eldest son’s moving-up ceremony. Her husband wasn’t there physically and only appeared through a video call, seemingly onboard a ship at sea at the time.

Joyce was a loving and sweet wife to Kimwell. She never missed greeting him during their monthsaries and even posted Father’s Day tributes calling him a hardworking and responsible family man. In June 2023, she praised him as a dependable father. She greeted him on his birthday in November 2024, and in December, the family attended a wedding where their eldest son was a bearer. They often ate out and went on family outings.

Their family appeared happy and loving in photos—no one expected that in an instant, Joyce and her three children would be gone due to a horrific tragedy.

On May 15, 2025, a Thursday, a disturbing incident shook Barangay San Vicente, Bulacan. In the middle of the day, a fire broke out inside Joyce’s home. Sadly, Joyce and her three children perished. A neighbor claimed she saw Joyce come out of the house, lock the doors, and cut the water supply before the fire. Then, they heard screams from inside.

Neighbors immediately responded and tried to break the locked doors and gate. One neighbor said that Joyce’s eldest son, Kimwell, was able to speak and revealed that their mother had poured gasoline on him and his siblings and set them on fire.

Responders found the lifeless body of baby Cairo on the bed. Kimwell and Kyle were found in the bathroom, still crying. The responders rushed to carry them out as they still had heartbeats. Joyce was later found inside the house. Neighbors described the intense smoke and the burnt mattress. By the time firefighters arrived, the neighbors had already put out the flames.

The children were rushed to the hospital. Cairo was declared dead on arrival. Kyle also passed away shortly after arrival. Their father, Kimwell, was called back from duty. Before his death, Kimwell Zan spoke to his father and said, “I love you, Daddy.”

Reports later said that Kimwell and Kyle passed away on May 17, 2025, two days after the incident. Joyce was identified as the primary suspect. Allegedly, she intentionally set herself and her children on fire. She was later charged by her husband with parricide, which is the killing of a spouse, child, or close relative.

However, Joyce succumbed to her injuries the next day, and the case was declared closed on May 21, 2025. With her passing, her husband withdrew the case.

The Bureau of Fire Protection found matches and two bottles of thinner in the home—evidence of arson. They concluded the children were intentionally set on fire and that the house fire was secondary. The children’s wake was held in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, while Joyce was laid to rest in Batangas.

According to Barangay officials, Joyce went to their office the night before the fire to report issues between her and her husband. They were planning to call in the couple for mediation, but the tragedy happened before they could intervene.

The barangay chairman also revealed that Joyce had problems with her meddling in-laws. The report stated that Kimwell’s parents often caused fights between Joyce and their son. Joyce reportedly harbored resentment toward her in-laws. Kimwell did not speak to the media, though in a comment, one neighbor said Joyce’s in-laws frequently visited to see their grandchildren.

The Rodrigo and Aspero families were devastated. Facebook users were also shocked by the heartbreaking incident. Many expressed disbelief that a mother could do such a thing to her own children. Some speculated that Joyce had been suffering from depression.

Posts suggested that Joyce’s severe depression caused her mental breakdown. Others believed she had postpartum depression. They emphasized that without proper treatment and emotional support from a spouse, this could lead to tragedy.

Many netizens gave advice to husbands, stating that financial support is not enough—emotional and mental support is equally vital. Even a simple “How are you?” can make a big difference. Listening and comforting their wives during struggles is essential. Depression is not a joke and can happen to anyone.

Others blamed Kimwell, alleging that he had another woman despite having a wife and children. There were accusations of physical abuse, too. When Joyce reported him to authorities, she might have believed nothing would come of it since he was a police officer.

A screenshot allegedly showed Joyce asking someone for money to buy milk for her child. She had the flu and couldn’t breastfeed, and she was desperate even for just Php500. She also said she wanted to see a doctor but had no money. Her husband gave her only Php2,500 in allowance, which quickly ran out due to household needs.

Joyce lamented that no matter how hard she tried to stretch the money, it was never enough. She wished she could work to support her children. She pitied her baby for not being able to nurse properly.

People now ask: How much child support should a parent provide? According to Article 194 of the Family Code, child support includes daily needs, medical expenses, and transport costs. Even adult children must be supported if they are still studying or preparing for work. The law does not set a fixed amount—it depends on the parent’s income and the child’s needs. If a parent has no capacity to give, they cannot be charged with failure to support.

Another screenshot surfaced claiming that a week before the fire, Joyce allegedly tried to poison her children and husband. She didn’t eat the bread she offered, so only the children got sick. When they were supposed to be taken to the hospital, Joyce reportedly prioritized doing the laundry. After they recovered, Kimwell never saw the hospital results because Joyce allegedly burned the paper.

Some netizens insisted no one has the right to judge Joyce and Kimwell’s relationship. Only the couple knew what truly happened. Others argued that postpartum depression shouldn’t be used to excuse the crime—wrong is still wrong.