A 9-year-old child is up against multiple murder charges for his connection to a mobile home fire that left five people dead.
According to Complex, Illinois prosecutors filed the charges Tuesday, nearly six months after the fatal fire at Timberline Mobile Home Park in Goodfield. Authorities accused the child of intentionally setting the residence on fire, which resulted in the deaths of two adults and three toddlers. Reports named Kathryn Murray, 69; Jason Wall, 34; Rose Alwood, 2; Daemeon Wall, 2; and Ariel Wall, 1, as the victims, all having died of smoke inhalation and pronounced dead at the scene.
The Pantagraph, a local publication, said Katrina Alwood and her 9-year-old son Kyle escaped the blaze and were treated and released from Peoria hospital.
However, the accused 9-year-old has not been publicly identified, and it is currently unclear if the child was related to the victims or not. In addition to five counts of first-degree murder, the child was hit with two counts of arson and one count of aggravated arson. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
According to reports, the latter charge suggests the suspect knew the family was inside the home at the time they allegedly started the fire.
“It was a heavy decision,” Woodford County State’s Attorney Greg Minger said. “It’s a tragedy, but at the end of the day, it’s charging a very young person with one of the most serious crimes we have. But I just think it needs to be done at this point, for finality.”
Minger also stated the 9-year-old will not face incarceration if convicted; instead, they will most likey aim for mandatory therapy, counseling, and psychological evaluation.
“Probation, given the age, is about the only outcome that could happen here,” he said.
