Woman Sets House On Fire With Her Mother And 4-Month-Old Baby Inside

Slidell, Louisiana -- A 37-year-old woman in Louisiana allegedly set her house on fire while her mother and infant were still inside.

Brandy Juan of Slidell was arrested on two counts of aggravated arson, among other charges, after investigators found evidence that suggested the fire was intentionally set.

Juan set her home ablaze around 6:30 a.m. Sunday. Her mother and 4-month-old baby were inside the house in the Ozone Woods during the incident, according to WWLTV.

“At approximately 6:30 a.m. Sunday, St. Tammany Fire District 1 personnel were dispatched to a fire at a residence on Jay Street in the Ozone Woods area of Slidell,” St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office said in a report, as per Audacy.

First responders managed to extinguish the flames. The fire mostly affected the exterior of the house. While the baby suffered minor burns, Juan’s mother survived the incident without any harm.

Juan felt from the scene before firefighters arrived, ActionNews17.com reported.

Officials said Juan had an argument with her mother that pushed her to start the fire. She was arrested Monday and booked into St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center.

Juan was charged with two counts of aggravated arson, one count of child desertion, and one count of cruelty to a juvenile.

“Thankfully the mother was uninjured, and the baby only sustained minor injuries, but this could have turned out much worse,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “Thank you to the personnel with Fire District 1 who not only quickly extinguished this blaze but also worked with our detectives to determine the individual responsible.”

A similar incident was reported in 2021 after a woman set her house on fire while her relatives were inside. Tamika Amanda Dorsett, 36, was arrested after dousing the living room on the first floor of the residence with lighter fluid while her husband was asleep on the couch a few feet away. As the fire spread around him, the husband managed to rush the occupants of the home outside.

Firefighters arrived and put out the fire, which did not cause any injuries or casualties. Dorsett was reportedly having hallucinations when she started the fire.