Two more families fell victim to arson in the Pine Hills community over the weekend. That totals seven affected in a two month span. Kia Marino is one who, back in May, lost everything as the arson torched her car, which exploded, catching her house on fire and burning it to the ground.
"They took a nice, peaceful, quiet neighborhood and turned it upside down. They took my kids dog. Their first year clothes. Their pictures. They just took everything." Marino said.
Sunday's crime was much like the rest. First Middlebury Fire Department was called out to a house fire on Hilltop Dr. While in route, they discovered the same home has a car that was also on fire. As they battled the flames, they were dispatched to another fire just down the road. The car from the first fire was a total loss. Firefighters though were able to extinguish it and everyone made it out safely. But just like it has with last month's victim, the emotional damage runs deep.
"They just don't realize everything they're doing. Everyone they're impacting. My son, he's one and he looks around for his, we had to put her to sleep because she had complications breathing." Marino said.
Middlebury Fire Chief Jeff Wogoman says in his 22 years with the department, he hasn't seen an arson case like this.
"Things happen. People's houses catch on fire all the time as an act of nature or fault, whatever. But when someone intentionally does it, sure that makes it that much more worse." Chief Wogoman said.
He says these fires weren't an accident and they don't seemed to be targeting specific people. His department, along with the Elkhart County Sheriff and the State Fire Marshall are still actively investigating this case. Anyone with any information is asked to call 1-800-382-4628. There is a $5,000 reward.
A small, quiet, Middlebury community is searching for answers. They had two more suspicious fires over the weekend.
