Mother Who Blamed Child for Starting Fire, Arrested for Arson

Harper Krista F

Mother Who Blamed Child for Starting Fire, Arrested for Arson

Harper Krista F. SO# 383844 mugSalt Lake City, March 23, 2015 (Gephardt Daily) – Salt Lake City Fire Department arson investigators arrested a woman accused of setting fires at her home and an office building downtown. Three of her children and her elderly grandmother were in the home at the time and she blamed one of her children for setting the fire.

The arrest of Krisa Harper was made on Friday. SLC Fire Investigators believe Harper is responsible for a pair of fires that took place in Salt Lake City during the past eight months. The first took place at Harper’s home, 1134 North Taffeta Drive, on Aug. 23, 2014. The second was at an occupied office building, Steiner Education, located at 312 East South Temple, on Feb. 22, 2015.

SLCFD public relations officer Jason Asay said that the first fire took place at Harper’s home with her elderly grandmother and three children inside. One of the children was between four and eight weeks old. “She blamed the fire on one of her children,” he said. “The second fire was set when she had been a temporary employee at Steiner Education for two days. Investigators thought there was something funny going on. She admitted to starting both fires.” He said he was glad the arrest was made because she used advanced methods of starting the fires. “Who knows how many more fires she would have started,” he said.

Harper is being charged with First-Degree Felony Aggravated Arson from the house fire, and Second-Degree Attempted Aggravated Arson, Class A Misdemeanor Reckless Burning and criminal mischief from the office building fire.

Police said the fire in her home was started when she set fire to a bed using an ignitable liquid, then closed the door and walked outside. Police said she also used an ignitable liquid when setting fire to the office building. That fire was set on an electrical power strip and concealed under a desk in the basement. She also admitted to igniting a notebook in another part of the office and placing the notebook under the door of an office. Harper also admitted to sabotaging the building’s computer network and activating a fire alarm over an hour prior to the fire in an attempt to disrupt business.

The arrest took place at 9:30 p.m. at the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building following Harper’s admission during an interview with SLC Fire arson investigators to starting two fires.

While investigating the fire at Steiner Education, SLC Fire Arson Investigators interviewed nearly a dozen people who were at the building at the time of the fire. Investigators learned one of the suspects was at the house fire on Aug. 23, 2014, and had blamed the human-caused fire on a child. A second interview with the suspect yielded confessions to the events at Steiner Education as well as the house fire.

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