The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
Four teenage girls from Pennsylvania who reportedly said they were “bored” allegedly destroyed a residence by starting a devastating fire.
On April 3, a duplex in the Johnstown borough of Ferndale was badly burned when a fire broke out in the home.
Upper Yoder Township police and firefighters were dispatched to the residence to contain the fire. Two of the first responders were injured and hospitalized due to smoke inhalation.
The authorities opened an investigation to locate the source of the fire, and they reportedly viewed two 14-year-old girls accompanied by two 12-year-old girls in a Snapchat video as they allegedly tossed papers coated with Lysol, bug repellant, and other accelerants into a receptacle after lighting them on fire. It was asserted that the interior of the dwelling matched the home that had been set on fire.
The girls reportedly left the scene but came back to watch the structure burn from the outside.
When the authorities viewed photographs taken by spectators of the blaze, the teens were allegedly in some of the images.
On the same day as the townhouse fire, the police received a report about a home that had been burglarized. When the responsible party left the premises, a flaming mattress was reportedly left burning.
The authorities asserted that the four teenagers were the likely perpetrators of the townhouse blaze. They are searching to find out if the same group was involved in causing the other fire.
When the police talked with the young suspects about their alleged presence at the townhome, they reportedly admitted to setting the fire out of boredom.
All four girls were arrested, and they are facing charges for suspicion of felony arson, causing catastrophe, trespassing, and endangering another person. They were allowed to return home with their guardians while awaiting their juvenile court hearings.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.