A mother in Miami was arrested after she poured hot, melted candle wax onto her two daughters and set a fire inside of her home during an incident she captured on camera.
Meliza Campos-Sanchez was taken into custody on Monday, August 17, and charged with first-degree arson, child abuse and two counts of child neglect, according to arrest affidavits viewed by People.
The investigation into Campos-Sanchez, 26, was launched after Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to her home after receiving a report of a kitchen fire on Sunday, August 16.
After looking into the situation, a fire investigator ultimately determined that the fire had been intentionally set with an open flame, ignitable liquids and combustible materials.
Campos-Sanchez posted two videos to her Instagram account at the time of the fires.
One video showed her using lit candles to pour melted wax onto her own leg before spilling it into the hands of her two daughters. The second video captured Campos-Sanchez wearing a silver mask as she sprayed an unknown liquid onto clothing on the kitchen floor. She then set the clothing on fire with a red lighter.
Fire investigators searched the home and found burnt materials, as well as minor damage on the tiled kitchen floor. Investigators also found the silver mask, the red lighter and a clear plastic bottle with a yellow cap, which reportedly contained liquid believed to be rubbing alcohol.
Campos-Sanchez’s husband, Yusniel Cue, spoke to investigators following the fire and said they had been experiencing marital issues. He explained that he had been staying with his parents for about a week when the fire occurred.
Cue added that he learned about the incident when one of Campos-Sanchez’s friends called him to tell him about the videos, and they told him to call the police.
He arrived at the home after Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue got there and took custody of his daughters. Meanwhile, Campos-Sanchez was transported to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.
Additionally, Cue told investigators that Campos-Sanchez allegedly attempted suicide during an earlier occasion. He said he contacted the sheriff’s office one week earlier due to his concerns for their children.
Investigators also spoke to Campos-Sanchez’s eldest daughter, who said that she and her younger sister were in the laundry room when they saw their mother setting the clothes on fire in the kitchen.
She added that her mother threw a glass mug onto the floor while she was dancing near the flames, and she eventually used a bowl of water to put out the fire.
Additionally, the daughter told investigators that her mother had brought her and her sister into the kitchen and started pouring hot wax from the lit candles onto the three of them.
An officer later went to a nearby hospital to interview Campos-Sanchez, but she was sedated and unable to speak prior to her arrest.
It is not currently clear whether Campos-Sanchez has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following her arrest.
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