May 10, 2008 11:02 am US/Eastern
Lover's Quarrel May Have Led To Fatal Southie Fire
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
A woman was charged Friday with setting a fire that killed two girls hours after she got into an argument with the children's mother, who prosecutors say she was in a relationship with.
Nicole Chuminski, 25, was arrested Friday on a warrant charging her with two counts of murder and a single count of arson, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said. Chuminski was expected to be arraigned Monday in South Boston District Court.
An investigation into the April 6 fire that killed 14-year old Acia Johnson and 2-year old Sophia Johnson found that Chuminski and the victims' mother, Anna Reisopoulos, got into an argument hours earlier, Conley said. Officials said the women were in a relationship together and that the argument stemmed from a wedding, though it's unclear what it was about.
Chuminski also was seen near the home around the time of the blaze, and an accelerant that could have fueled a fire was found on her clothing afterward, Conley said. The accelerant was consistent with fuel that investigators found on a door frame of the triple-decker in the city's South Boston neighborhood.
"Today we have reached a milestone, however, and we know the day is near when we will speak in court for two young children whose lives were tragically, senselessly taken, and who died with only each other to cling to in their final moments," said Conley, who added the investigation would continue.
The early morning fire spread rapidly and engulfed the building, trapping the two girls on the third floor. The girls were found huddled together in a closet. Their bodies were identified through dental records.
Reisopoulos was seriously injured, though she has since been released from the hospital. Acia's twin brother, Raymond, escaped.
Neighbors told WBZ many people suspected Chuminski was responsible for the deadly blaze.
"Everybody sort of figured it was her," said neighbor Sarah Bailey. "But I'm glad that they caught her because how could she do such a thing? I don't care what she had with the mother or what the situation was. You don't start a fire in somebody's house, especially when there are innocent kids in there."
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
