A Samsula woman was in the Volusia County Branch Jail this afternoon facing first-degree arson and child abuse charges after a State Fire Marshal’s office investigator said she tried to burn down her house while caring for an unidentified 1-year-old girl.
Volusia County sheriff’s and State Fire Marshal’s office reports said Jennifer Ann Schofield, 39, Samsula got into an argument with her husband, William Schroeder, 56, over the phone just after midnight Tuesday.
When the argument ended, the reports indicated Schofield knocked over her husband’s motorcycle in the garage, tied a bandana to it and ignited the bandana. She then went back into the bedroom and lit his dresser on fire.
Schofield then fled in her vehicle as her husband arrived at the North Samsula Drive residence with the couple’s 3-year-old.
Schroeder extinguished the flames and went to a relative’s house, where he left the 3-year-old.
Shortly before 1:25 a.m. Edgewater police located and detained Schofield before turning her over to sheriff’s deputies. Deputies then turned Schofield over to State Fire Marshal Murray McDonald, who took her into custody.
The fires caused an estimated $2,000 damage.
Schofield, who was being held on $12,000 bail, was scheduled to make her first appearance in court before a judge today.
