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A woman of Cuban descent is facing five charges of attempted murder after starting an intentional fire that seriously endangered the lives of her neighbors at a residence in the southwest area of Miami-Dade County.
The dramatic event occurred last Thursday near Cutler Bay, and the accused was detained without bail, according to Local 10.
The woman, 62 years old and identified as María Rosa Barillas, was admitted on Monday night to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK) in Miami-Dade County, after being treated for burns and smoke inhalation at Jackson South Medical Center.
According to court records, the citizen, born in Cuba and raised in Miami-Dade County, faces six felony charges and one misdemeanor, including first-degree arson, five counts of attempted murder, and resisting arrest.
How the events unfolded
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, Barillas was a tenant in a shed located on a property where five other people also resided: a couple living in a Mallard travel trailer, and a mother with two children who occupied a single-story, three-bedroom house.
A researcher indicated that the woman used an "accelerant," an "open flame device," and "combustible materials" to ignite the fire on a bed inside the shed.
The fire quickly spread to the trailer and threatened to reach the main house.
The firefighters responded to the emergency as the flames spread dangerously from the shed to the trailer, causing significant damage to a white fence and a children's swing set installed in the yard.
One of the agents in charge of the case reported that Barillas was covered in soot at the time of her arrest, confirming her proximity to the site of the fire.
Moreover, according to police records, the couple living in the trailer "narrowly escaped" the flames that eventually "consumed the trailer."
The probable motivation of the accused for committing such an act has not been disclosed, nor has it been clarified if they suffer from any mental disorder.
Judicial process
After her partial recovery, Barillas was taken into custody by prison officers on Friday night, and the following day, state prosecutors formally filed charges against her.
A judge denied bail and ordered her to stay away from the five victims while the legal proceedings are underway.
Circuit Court Judge for Miami-Dade County, William Altfield, is scheduled to preside over the arraignment hearing set for June 20 at 9:00 a.m.
As of the closure of this note, there are no further details about the unusual case.
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