Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton announced that two woman have been charged in connection yesterday's house fire in Washington Twp.
Lynette McGuire, 32, and her cousin, Denise Coyle, 33, both of Bensalem PA., have been charged with aggravated arson after allegedly setting a Lafayette Ct. home in Washington Twp. on fire Thursday (Dec. 10) around 8:30 p.m. The women were also charged with attempted kidnapping after they tried to take McGuire’s three-year-old daughter from the home, where the girl and three of her siblings were in the custody of their grandparents.
McGuire and Coyle were apprehended by Washington Township police on Route 42 and Fries Mill Rd., about a mile from the Lafayette Ct .home after fleeing from the home, which suffered extensive damage as a result of the fire.
The grandparents and their grandchildren escaped the home without injury.
No firefighters were injured in suppressing the fire, which is under investigation by the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office.
It is believed that the fire started in the home’s garage. Evidence collected from the scene will be laboratory-tested. Arson investigators with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) were to examine the property today.
“If not for the timely response of the Washington Township Police Department and the Washington Township Fire Department, this incident may have ended quite differently,” said Gloucester County Prosecutor Sean F. Dalton. “My thanks to all the first responders, along with the Gloucester County Fire Marshal’s Office, the ATF and GCPO Arson and Crime Scene units for their assistance.”
McGuire and Coyle have both been charged by the GCPO with aggravated arson, attempted kidnapping and burglary and are being held in default of $100,000 bail each.
Additional charges are pending.