14-Year-Old Allegedly Set House on Fire to Kill Teen Friend; Family Escaped Uninjured in Lehigh Acres

A 14-year-old boy in Lehigh Acres, Florida, is accused of deliberately setting a house fire in the early hours of Jan. 3 while a family of four slept inside. Authorities say the suspect later admitted he intended to kill a teenage friend who lived in the home.

What Responders Found

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) and the Lehigh Acres Fire Department responded to reports of a residential blaze on the 300 block of Paisley Avenue at about 6 a.m. Deputies at the scene discovered an open 5-gallon propane tank placed near the front door and what the department described as a "homemade Molotov cocktail." According to investigators, the home's four occupants were able to escape through a window and were not injured.

Investigation and Arrest

Witnesses told deputies that a vehicle was parked down the street and that a juvenile briefly approached the victims after the fire to ask what had happened before leaving. Authorities arrested the 14-year-old at his home. Law enforcement says the teen admitted to transporting the propane tank to the residence, using a gas-filled bottle to ignite the fire and attempting to kill an occupant inside the house.

Charges and Detention

The suspect faces multiple charges, including four counts of attempted felony murder, arson, occupied burglary, making a destructive device and possession or use of a weapon. The juvenile has been turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice for secure detention while the investigation continues.

Impact on the Family

Namiry Enrique Alvarez, who was inside the Paisley Avenue home with three family members when the fire began, described the incident as "traumatic." Through a translator she told a local outlet that the family still struggles to sleep and keeps reliving the event.

“Even now, two days later, I still can’t sleep, and neither can they because you relive everything that happened, and you’re afraid it’s going to happen again,” Alvarez said.

Official Comments and Evidence

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno called the incident "a tremendous, horrifying act," noting officials were grateful no one was hurt and that the suspect is off the streets and charged. The LCSO shared body-camera footage showing responders at the scene, including the propane tank and the home’s burned front door.

Note: Investigators continue to review evidence and gather witness statements. PEOPLE and local outlets reported on the case; the LCSO posted updates to its official Facebook page.