Alicia Newman sets fire to Chesterfield County, Virginia home killing her grandmother and her sister as they slept after kicked out after argument. Victims identified as Evelyn Newman and Hazel Johnson.
A Virginia woman is accused of having set fire to a home after she was asked to move out of leading to the death of her grandmother and great aunt.
Alicia Newman, 25, is alleged to have set fire to the occupied dwelling early Saturday morning as the relatives slept unawares at the Chesterfield County home.
Chesterfield County home set on fire as elderly woman slept
Chesterfield Fire and EMS crews were dispatched to a fire at a home in the 500 block of Rosegill Road off Reams Road around 4:20 a.m. on Saturday, WTVR reported.
Responding firefighters found two people inside the home: 75-year-old Evelyn Newman and her sister, 78-year-old Hazel Johnson.
Both were rescued and taken to area hospitals, where they died of their injuries.
A ‘coordinated investigation’ by police and the Chesterfield Fire Marshal’s Office found that the fire inside the home was intentionally set, officials said.
Willie Robertson, a cousin of the victims, said the women had mobility issues.
‘They were on crutches and walkers, which means that, in my opinion. they couldn’t move very fast to get away from it and it overtook them,’ Robertson told WTVR.
Argument leads to Chesterfield County home set on fire
According to Robertson, Evelyn Newman had allowed her granddaughter, Alicia, and her children to stay at the home she had owned for over 30 years. However, Alicia was asked to leave following an argument. It remained unclear if the granddaughter and her children had anywhere to go.
Newman following her arrest was charged with arson, with additional charges now expected. The granddaughter was scheduled to make her first court appearance on Monday.
Newman remains held with no bond at Chesterfield County Jail.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Chesterfield Police and the Chesterfield Fire Marshal’s Office.
Anyone with information that could help investigators is urged to call Chesterfield County Police at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or through the P3 app.
