PITTSBURGH,None — Police in Pittsburgh have charged a 10-year-old boy with arson for allegedly setting eight small fires in and around his East Hills home.
Police arrested the boy after they said he and a younger sister set five fires over the weekend and three more on Monday. Investigators said the boy's mother called police, thinking it was a prankster who was setting fire to her property.
However, Detective Michael Burns said the children admitted to setting the fires. Even though they were quickly put out, Burns said the fires endangered not only the family home, but adjoining houses.
City firefighters had to be called out to deal with five of the blazes.
The boy is charged with arson, criminal mischief and risking a catastrophe. He is not being identified because of his age.
"He's a 10-year-old little boy. He knows what he did was wrong, but I don't think he knows the true consequences of what could have really happened," said Burns.
Burns said the boy's 9-year-old sister was not charged because state law prohibits charging children younger than 10.
The boy will undergo a mental health evaluation.
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