Child, 7, arrested and charged with arson after family's home set on fire

25 May 2023 , 21:08

1315     0

People were forced to escape as the home became engulfed in flames (Image: Facebook/Jackson County WV Sheriff's Department)

A seven-year-old was arrested and charged after allegedly setting the family home on fire.

The child was charged with first-degree arson, according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Department in West Virginia.

A grim picture shared on Facebook showed the home engulfed in flames.

Two people in the house suffered minor burns, but everyone in the home survived, police said. The child was taken into custody on Wednesday evening.

The force alleged the child tried to set fire to his house and his parents were inside at the time. Police did not offer any more information, saying the case was "sensitive".

Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probe

The child was taken into custody and charged (Getty Images)

In a statement, police said: "This evening a [seven] year old juvenile is in custody and charged with first-degree arson after the family home was intentionally set ablaze with the parents asleep inside.

"Minor burn injuries occurred to two individuals, but everyone made it out of the home alive.

"No further information will be released regarding the investigation because of the sensitive nature of the case.

"Special thanks goes out this evening to the responding volunteer fire departments and the WV State Fire Marshal's Office."

The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the blaze.

Charges can be brought against children in West Virginia by citation or if a criminal complaint is made.

In New York, a bill signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul in January 2022 means children under 12 will no longer face arrest and production for most crimes. Homicide is not included in the bill.

Analysis by USA Today showed arrests of young children are not that uncommon.

Between 2000 and 2019 federal crime reports identified more than 2,600 arrests in schools involving children aged just five to nine years old.

A CBS News investigation also found that law enforcement was called more than 79,000 times to elementary and middle schools and more than 11,000 children were arrested from 2017 to 2018.

Russian model killed after calling Putin a 'psychopath' was strangled by her ex

Benjamin Lynch