Family's fury as police TASER stepfather to stop him from running into burning home to save three-year-old toddler who died in fire

Riley Miller, 3, tragically died in a house fire in Louisiana on Oct 31

Cops used a stun gun three times on step-father Ryan Miller as he tried to re-enter the burning building

Miller suffered chest burns and was taken to jail before later being released without charge

Riley's aunt described the actions of the police officers as 'heartless' and said Riley had been a 'happy-go-lucky kid'

The family says it is considering legal action against the city

The family of a three-year-old killed in a house fire in Louisiana, Missouri, has said it is outraged after police used a stun gun on the boy's stepfather as he tried to run back in and save the child.



Riley Miller died in the early hours of October 31. Firefighters discovered his body near the doorway of his bedroom.

A city police officer fired his stun gun at Ryan Miller as he tried to re-enter his burning home, which was destroyed.

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Riley Rieser, 3, was tragically killed in a house fire on October 31, 2013, in Louisiana, Missouri. His family are now suing the city after the boy's stepfather, Ryan Miller, was tasered and handcuffed by police

Balloons and cuddly toys have been left on the steps of the house where Riley Miller was tragically killed last Thursday

Grandmother Lori Miller said she witnessed two officers use the stun gun three times, twice after Ryan Miller had been handcuffed.



Miller suffered chest burns and was taken to the city jail, although he was later released without being charged.

The family says it is considering legal action against the city. City Administrator Bob Jenne called the police response a ‘judgment call’.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal is currently investigating the incident, according to connecttristates.com.



The original 911 call came in at 12:58 a.m. and firefighters arrived at the scene at 1:03 a.m.

Police used a stun gun three times on step-father Ryan Miller (left) and handcuffed him so he couldn't run into his burning home in an attempt to save young Riley (right)

Riley Miller's aunt Emily has described the actions of the police as 'heartless' and she doesn't think they handled the situation correctly



Both of Riley's parents were taken to Memorial Medical Center's burn unit in Springfield, Ill. by family members for treatment.



Cathy Miller suffered a burn to the cornea in one of her eyes. Both she and her husband were released from hospital on Thursday night.



Lori Miller said police stunned her son Ryan as he tried to get back in the house.



‘He tried to get back in the house to get the baby,’ she told KHQA. ‘They took my son to jail because he tried to save his son.’

Riley's aunt Emily Miller has publicly criticized how police handled the situation.

Mom Cathy Miller, right, is mourning the loss of her youngest son Riley, pictured on the right in the blue pool



‘It's just heartless. How could they be so heartless? And while they all just stood around and waited for the fire department, what kind of police officer wouldn't try and save a three-year-old burning in a house?’ she told KHQA.



‘We've been going through pictures and he's just smiling in every picture. He was just a happy, go-lucky kid.’

The fire started in a recreation room at the rear of the house. The parents had fallen asleep watching television, but were woken by the smoke alarm and managed to get out of the building via a rear door in the same room. They then called 911.



Riley was asleep in his bedroom and so Ryan Miller ran to the front of the house and kicked in the front door. Police arrived as he was about to enter and an officer stunned him with a Taser.

State Fire Marshal Investigator Scott Stoneberger said that a firefighter in full gear attempted to enter the home but the flames were too hot.



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Video source KHQA

Wreck: A city police officer fired his stun gun at Ryan Miller as he tried to re-enter his burning home, which was destroyed

Firefighters discovered Riley near the doorway to the bedroom from the front living room.



Ryan Miller has another son who wasn't home at the time of the blaze.



An official cause of the fire isn't known and could take several weeks. The fire marshal said it doesn't appear to have been started in suspicious circumstances.

